Brushing the dust from his knees the boy rose from
his hiding place beneath the stable loft. Crouching down he watched the large
forms of the Tauren below moving, leading their massive Kodo mounts from the
slumber and out into the bright light of day. Quickly hopping down he scampered
out right after them and hid against the side of the stables to avoid detection,
before he bolted for the water troughs. Dunking his head under he leaned back
letting the cool water soak down his back and smiled loving the feel of the
water running over his skin. This place was warm, much warmer than his home
during the spring months and he quickly scooped up several handfuls of water to
quench his thirst.
Quietly wandering over to an assortment of carts he slowly strolled among them peering at the fruits and vegetables as his stomach growled from hunger. His small hands dug into the pockets of his trousers, finding nothing but dust and he sighed softly as he watched a Large Tauren man lift a hefty apple and take a crunch, the scent of it stinging the child's nostrils with want. Carefully navigating the large Tauren who seemed to not notice the small boy who carefully meandered his way through the sea of hooves and fur that threatened to squash him at every turn, he found himself before a small cart stuffed to the top with exotic fruits from the Vale. His mouth watering he crept around the one side, peering about to see if anyone had seen him, and satisfied he was clear he slowly reached a hand up to snatch one of the bananas he found there.
Narrow fingers began to close around the fruit before he heard a hissing noise behind him, causing the child to flinch and whip around to see the source of the sound. Sitting on a rickety old chair was an equally rickety old Tauren woman whose wrinkled face tightened as her eyes stared directly at the child. Paralyzed in their strength the child began to stammer out an apology, but the Tauren woman would have nothing of it. He just wanted to explain, he was hungry, alone and would pay her back but before the words came the old Tauren woman was out of her chair waving her walking stick at him while mumbling some kind of curse in her language. A great fear welled up in the child as the Tauren woman's demeanor changed into a terrifying posture of menace, so potent was the threat his legs responded before his thoughts caught up with him, and found himself in full flight from the place.
He ran and ran, ran till his legs grew heavy and his chest pounded air in out of lungs sore from exertion. Falling to his knees he could still hear the old Tauren crone shouting in the distance and on skinned knees and hands cut from rocks the child scrambled up over a kill, sliding and falling down the other side he rolled to a stop before a lake. Laying on his back his chest rose and fell rapidly and sharp ears twitched as he listened for the old Crones shouting...no longer hearing it his eyes closed and he rolled over onto his side staring at the water. In the reflection he saw a skinny frightened little boy, eyes once glowing bright green faded and dim with the weakness hunger brought, fair features marred with dirt, and alone he laid there frightened hungry and alone. How did he get to this place, his mind numbed with exhaustion failed to focus properly, everything seemed so hazy, yet he seemed to be drawn to this place, but why. Some part of his mind remembered it, perhaps from one of his families many vacations.
His thoughts drifted to his family, his mother and father and how angry they had been with him when last he saw them. Sniffling he remembered his mother's voice quivering with rage, remembered the way tears streamed down her face as he tried to explain himself. He knew she had warned him not to play with his sister near the falls, but they were chasing a frog and he almost had it in his fingers when they slipped. He told her how brave he was, saving his sister and pulling them back from the slippery rocks, but she would hear none of it, try as he might, his words fell on deaf ears. He felt his eyes well with tears as he remembered walking out the door, turning to see his family huddled around his sister...why were they so angry so sad, he saved her, sure he disobeyed his parents but he did as he father said, he protected his family. As the door in his memories closed behind him be began to cry, powerful sobs that wracked his young body, curling into a ball near the shore he cried out for his parents, he missed them, he was sorry for what he had done and didn't want to be alone anymore, alone hungry in this strange place.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed, his sobs drifting off into a miserable hollow sound that made the soul ache to any who had heard such a sound before, it was the sound of desperation and pain. Hearing movement behind him the child slowly turned and looked up at the source. He found an Troll draped in soft robes of black cloth standing before him, a raised lantern in one hand, it's light reflecting shadows on the face of the creature. Many times had he heard his parents and friends speak of the savage creatures, warned them to be cautious around them, but the kindly expression on the old Troll's face filled his heart with warmth. Kneeling down the Troll extended an old hand and brushed the tears from the child's cheeks and smiled down at him, it was a look of genuine concern, caring and for the first time in days the boy smiled. Rising to his feet and extending his hand down to the boy, the child took it and was drawn to his feet, his touch was cold, yet he didn't fear, he couldn't explain it but when he turned his head up to look at the Troll he nodded ahead of them to a gate, opened and glowing with the light of lanterns he spoke "Fear not little one, I will take you". Stepping with the old Troll towards the gate he looked back up at the man and inquired "Will you take me to see my mother?", to which the Troll nodded once "and Den ah bring ju to see your Grandmuddah, she been waiting for ju".
Confusion struck the child then, and he stopped his hand held tightly by the Troll he blinked and looked at at the robed man again "but my grandmother is dead" he answered. Nodding the Troll responded "Dat she be...and ju as well child". Reeling on his heels it all came back to him, like a blow to the stomach, he hadn't made it home that day at the falls. They had been chasing the frog and slipped on the rocks, his sister had slipped over the side but he had grabbed her hand, he pulled her up, he did it, he had saved his sister as he remembered but when he tried to climb back up the rocks gave way and he fell. He closed his eyes as he remembered his sisters piercing scream and tears streamed unchecked down his cheeks again, he was dead, he was the reason his mother was crying and his heart ached that he had done this to his family. A gentle hand lifted his chin and when he looked up at the Troll he was smiling, and tapped the child on the nose reassuringly "but ju saved jur sister's life child, ju did dis, sacrificed jurself for de ones ju loved...dere no greater honah den dis...cuz of ju she leeve a long life". Nodding slowly the boy sniffled again and spoke "but i'm dead..I", cutting him off the Troll squeezed the child's hand and responded "We all die child, one day when de branch of life end, ju mus go, eet jus be de way of tings, ju child...ju met jur end as a mon, bravely...very few get to do dis, be proud of dis fact, dat courage be jurs for all time, ju get to take eet witchu..now come child our trip be long and we much to do".
Silence passed for long moments between the two before the small boy nodded, the Troll was right he had been brave he had saved his sister and a small smile spread across his dirty face before he nodded and followed after the old Troll. As they approached the gate the Troll gently patted the back of the young boy's head, taking the steps he had taken so many times before, raising his lantern into the darkness ahead he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Some days the Collector relished his work, but not today...not today.
Quietly wandering over to an assortment of carts he slowly strolled among them peering at the fruits and vegetables as his stomach growled from hunger. His small hands dug into the pockets of his trousers, finding nothing but dust and he sighed softly as he watched a Large Tauren man lift a hefty apple and take a crunch, the scent of it stinging the child's nostrils with want. Carefully navigating the large Tauren who seemed to not notice the small boy who carefully meandered his way through the sea of hooves and fur that threatened to squash him at every turn, he found himself before a small cart stuffed to the top with exotic fruits from the Vale. His mouth watering he crept around the one side, peering about to see if anyone had seen him, and satisfied he was clear he slowly reached a hand up to snatch one of the bananas he found there.
Narrow fingers began to close around the fruit before he heard a hissing noise behind him, causing the child to flinch and whip around to see the source of the sound. Sitting on a rickety old chair was an equally rickety old Tauren woman whose wrinkled face tightened as her eyes stared directly at the child. Paralyzed in their strength the child began to stammer out an apology, but the Tauren woman would have nothing of it. He just wanted to explain, he was hungry, alone and would pay her back but before the words came the old Tauren woman was out of her chair waving her walking stick at him while mumbling some kind of curse in her language. A great fear welled up in the child as the Tauren woman's demeanor changed into a terrifying posture of menace, so potent was the threat his legs responded before his thoughts caught up with him, and found himself in full flight from the place.
He ran and ran, ran till his legs grew heavy and his chest pounded air in out of lungs sore from exertion. Falling to his knees he could still hear the old Tauren crone shouting in the distance and on skinned knees and hands cut from rocks the child scrambled up over a kill, sliding and falling down the other side he rolled to a stop before a lake. Laying on his back his chest rose and fell rapidly and sharp ears twitched as he listened for the old Crones shouting...no longer hearing it his eyes closed and he rolled over onto his side staring at the water. In the reflection he saw a skinny frightened little boy, eyes once glowing bright green faded and dim with the weakness hunger brought, fair features marred with dirt, and alone he laid there frightened hungry and alone. How did he get to this place, his mind numbed with exhaustion failed to focus properly, everything seemed so hazy, yet he seemed to be drawn to this place, but why. Some part of his mind remembered it, perhaps from one of his families many vacations.
His thoughts drifted to his family, his mother and father and how angry they had been with him when last he saw them. Sniffling he remembered his mother's voice quivering with rage, remembered the way tears streamed down her face as he tried to explain himself. He knew she had warned him not to play with his sister near the falls, but they were chasing a frog and he almost had it in his fingers when they slipped. He told her how brave he was, saving his sister and pulling them back from the slippery rocks, but she would hear none of it, try as he might, his words fell on deaf ears. He felt his eyes well with tears as he remembered walking out the door, turning to see his family huddled around his sister...why were they so angry so sad, he saved her, sure he disobeyed his parents but he did as he father said, he protected his family. As the door in his memories closed behind him be began to cry, powerful sobs that wracked his young body, curling into a ball near the shore he cried out for his parents, he missed them, he was sorry for what he had done and didn't want to be alone anymore, alone hungry in this strange place.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed, his sobs drifting off into a miserable hollow sound that made the soul ache to any who had heard such a sound before, it was the sound of desperation and pain. Hearing movement behind him the child slowly turned and looked up at the source. He found an Troll draped in soft robes of black cloth standing before him, a raised lantern in one hand, it's light reflecting shadows on the face of the creature. Many times had he heard his parents and friends speak of the savage creatures, warned them to be cautious around them, but the kindly expression on the old Troll's face filled his heart with warmth. Kneeling down the Troll extended an old hand and brushed the tears from the child's cheeks and smiled down at him, it was a look of genuine concern, caring and for the first time in days the boy smiled. Rising to his feet and extending his hand down to the boy, the child took it and was drawn to his feet, his touch was cold, yet he didn't fear, he couldn't explain it but when he turned his head up to look at the Troll he nodded ahead of them to a gate, opened and glowing with the light of lanterns he spoke "Fear not little one, I will take you". Stepping with the old Troll towards the gate he looked back up at the man and inquired "Will you take me to see my mother?", to which the Troll nodded once "and Den ah bring ju to see your Grandmuddah, she been waiting for ju".
Confusion struck the child then, and he stopped his hand held tightly by the Troll he blinked and looked at at the robed man again "but my grandmother is dead" he answered. Nodding the Troll responded "Dat she be...and ju as well child". Reeling on his heels it all came back to him, like a blow to the stomach, he hadn't made it home that day at the falls. They had been chasing the frog and slipped on the rocks, his sister had slipped over the side but he had grabbed her hand, he pulled her up, he did it, he had saved his sister as he remembered but when he tried to climb back up the rocks gave way and he fell. He closed his eyes as he remembered his sisters piercing scream and tears streamed unchecked down his cheeks again, he was dead, he was the reason his mother was crying and his heart ached that he had done this to his family. A gentle hand lifted his chin and when he looked up at the Troll he was smiling, and tapped the child on the nose reassuringly "but ju saved jur sister's life child, ju did dis, sacrificed jurself for de ones ju loved...dere no greater honah den dis...cuz of ju she leeve a long life". Nodding slowly the boy sniffled again and spoke "but i'm dead..I", cutting him off the Troll squeezed the child's hand and responded "We all die child, one day when de branch of life end, ju mus go, eet jus be de way of tings, ju child...ju met jur end as a mon, bravely...very few get to do dis, be proud of dis fact, dat courage be jurs for all time, ju get to take eet witchu..now come child our trip be long and we much to do".
Silence passed for long moments between the two before the small boy nodded, the Troll was right he had been brave he had saved his sister and a small smile spread across his dirty face before he nodded and followed after the old Troll. As they approached the gate the Troll gently patted the back of the young boy's head, taking the steps he had taken so many times before, raising his lantern into the darkness ahead he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Some days the Collector relished his work, but not today...not today.
No comments:
Post a Comment