For the world about them was safe, the woods, their home. They lived off the land and were grateful for what they received. The autumn leaves beneath their feet crinkled and returned to the earth from whence they came. The sun shone brightly that morning as the carriage set off through the forests of Daendroc, a light layer of fog rolling along the ground and cooling the air just the slightest touch. Yet the day was warm and all was well, the children sung happy songs in the sweet Elvish Tongue and the birds sang back with much enthusiasm.
They were from a family of but humble merchants, a kind people with no real worries in life. They were heading down the road from Naserna after a successful autumn bonfire and towards San Justanian, a few days of traveling, though nothing they were not used to. Around mid-day, they set up camp in a small clearing, preparing a small fire as the children watched in amazement at how their parents created the sparks that gave their firewood a fair flame. They ate well, fresh bread wrapped in leaves and fresh apple juice to accompany. They ate large and sweet oranges, small and neatly wrapped grape bunches and many a strawberry to fill themselves up.
For a few hours, they left the camp up, that they might rest a while. Opening the side-stand of the wondrous horse-drawn carriage, the side panel folded down the way, creating a counter for which those inside could lean on. Strewn across shelves and in small glass cases were trinkets from before the fall of the Elven Empire, as well as numerous decorative compasses, finely drawn maps and small provisions, such as apples, oranges and an array of other delightfully sweet fruits. The children crouched down by the small stream that ran alongside the dirt roadway, pooling water into their hands and drinking carefully, washing their faces and making sure to get behind their large and floppy ears. Rubbing at the copious amounts of dirt that covered their feet, washing between their toes and carefully making their way back to the carriage to get their shoes.
Upon slipping their footwear on, the children raced off into the forest, yelling out what could only be described as the most kindly and careful battle cries ever to be uttered. They raced between the trees, playing with rabbits, squirrels and other critters that spanned the detritus. Their giggles and singing being heard far and wide in echo, the reverberation carrying their voices onward and upwards, startling the creatures that rested high in the treetops. The children's playful giggles and singing stopped as through the forest echoed cracking, creaking of trees and then a loud thud. Soon came another, then again until upon the horizon they could see an orange-red glow that lit their eyes with fear. Crawling across the masses of dead leaves and grass, a blaze unlike any they'd seen before, breaking the silence with loud crackling and more cracking and thudding of the fallen and charred trees.
Their breath fell short, the children turning about and running in the opposite direction of the blaze as it quickly followed after them, the grass behind them blackening and hissing in its last moments. The air about them became black and the mist that once covered the forest floor was now replaced with a thick, grey smoke that blocked out the light of the sun that once so beautifully filtered down from between the trees and leaves above them. The twins let out screams, to hear no responses as they continued on their way. Finally they came to the road, both turning to observe the damage and calling out once again for their parents, only to find themselves lost. Deer swept past the pair with great haste, almost knocking the eldest twin off of his feet whilst the younger twin rushed to steady him. The pair glanced about, panicked and upset. Their faces were filled with worry, though their eyes still glistened with amazement through the tears they cried.
Close to them, they could hear the creaking and cracking of more trees, splintering and falling from their stumps and roots. They tumbled across the path as the children started their running once again, the boy coming very closely to an end as a tree landed in front of him with an almighty crash and a terrifying roar. The flames very closely licking at his arms which he rose to cover his face as his sister dragged him back and pulled him into the forest. They soon came to the coast, high cliffs that overlooked a beautiful blue ocean; though they'd no time to stop and admire it. They brought their eyes back to the flames and hugged each other tightly before closing their eyes tightly and falling from the great landmass into the deep water below.
They heard the crashing waves before hitting the water, a loud nothingness, like static replacing the once loud falling of trees and the crackling of the flames. The children were soon swept to shore, one lain on the beach and the other upstanding, calling out for help. The boy, strewn in the sand with his arms blistered and oozing with puss from his close encounter with a fallen, blazing tree. He writhed in agony, in far too much pain to even notice his other wounds. He curled up in a fetal position, letting out loud sobs, retching and shaking with the pain. The younger of the siblings, his sister bent down; wrapping seaweed around his arms as she tried to calm him through her own tears, singing sweet melodies to him.
With his arms wrapped, the boy's nonsensical cries and babbling were almost silenced. The girl laying beside him with a few sniffles as she started to give up hope of being found, for the day had all but vanished and now had fallen the black of night. The girl curled up, much alike her brother and held her knees up to her chest. shivering and breathing heavily in the cool evening air. Soon, she followed her brother in slipping into silent slumber.
When the pair awoke, the day was early and the young girl watched the sun rise over the small wooded countryside. She rose from her sitting position and walked up the beach, finding a small trail laden with the footprints of others like them, Ailor or Nelfin perhaps. She called back to her brother, running towards him in excitement before dropping down on her knees by his side and going to gently nudge at his ribs as she explained what she'd stumbled across. For a time, they sat there, beginning to work out how they could stand the young boy without injuring him further. The young girl soon rested her hands behind his back, wrapping them around his waist as she moved to haul him up, the boy putting in leg power and soon he was upright. She tore a small part of her dress, going to wrap it around his arm and over his shoulder to sling up the least able of his arms and keep it from hurting as much. Soon after, she moved her arm to rest under his lesser-incapacitated arm, stabilizing him as they walked.
Their travel dragged on, stomachs rumbling and limbs aching with each small step they took. Soon however, in the distance could be seen the large city of San Justanian and now having met up with the main road. Their journey was coming to an end as they moved slowly down the rough cobbles and gravel path. Passing small farmhouses by the sides of the road, they dared not stop; for they knew their parents were headed to the city and that is where they would find them. Many carts passed by, leaving the city and when a cart passed them towards the city, the trader kindly offered the children a ride down the road. They lay the injured boy in the hay, the young girl sitting on the back of the cart and swinging her legs above the now fast-passing cobbles as the horses hooves hammered down on the stones, making a clacking sound that calmed the pair. They knew they were getting closer to home, only a little further now towards the city.
They reached the gates to the city, bustling with civilians and tradesmen alike. Guardsmen stood posted either side of the gate in groups of four whilst archers manned the battlements and watchtowers above. The fine stone walls scaled at least forty feet, daunting to even the largest of adults and even more so to small children. The trader's cart was searched as he explained to the guardsmen that he had found the children on the road to the city and the young girl proceeded to tell them about the forest fire on the main road to Naserna. The children were swiftly removed from the cart at that, the guardsmen taking them to the local clinic, that they might be seen to by professional healers whilst the trader was let on his way and a grouping of soldiers was sent out into the countryside to evaluate the forest fire.
They were carried through the streets on stretchers by two guardsmen, past marketplaces, taverns and places of residence. Each building just as beautiful as the next, all sporting wooden shutters used to cover the windows and many of the residential holdings having balconies above the front porches. The streets were finely cobbled and large, iron-grated gutters had been fitted at the sides of the roadways to allow sewage to flow from the streets and not pool on the roadway. Clothing hung between the buildings on washing lines and there were many small fruit stalls that were shaded by canopies. Finally, they came to a halt outside a large redbrick building with an arched wooden doorway that opened in two sections.
The guardsmen carried them inside the building, nurses being quick to spot the new patients and whisking them away to a rather secluded and exceptionally clean room. Of course, the guardsmen took their leave now to find the children's parents, or if unlucky, what remained of them. The nurses were quick to remove the children's burned and tattered clothing, checking over the wounding on both of them. The young boy especially, due to his heavily burned arms.
That evening, the children got little sleep as the wails and screams of pain from other rooms kept them wide awake. Their eyes simply followed the flickering light from their candle that cast shadows upon the walls. Perhaps even the candlelight had a part to play in their remaining awake. They uttered to each other for hours on end, speaking of their adventure through the forest and the drop into the ocean, how time seemed to have slowed, yet in reality it took only seconds. They spoke of their travels down the road, the trader that so kindly brought them to the city and the guards who had carried them to the clinic that they might now rest. Still, something was missing. Their hearts ached as they stared out through the window of the clinic, with each cart they heard clacking by, their spirits rose and deteriorated. They were waiting for the arrival of their parents, a feeling of longing and perhaps even despair as they thought of the possibilities that their parents had perished in the flames. They sniffled some, both trying to comfort one another as they listened out. It was clear the night dragged on some, the children one by one slipping in and out of consciousness before both were completely asleep.
They soon awoke to a nurse opening the shutters on their windows, either making a loud clanking as they locked in place. Meals were brought in for the pair on small wooden trays, bread and water with a small amount of butter for the both of them. They sat up in their beds, eating quietly before the young girl's head spun to look out of the window, picking up on the loud clacking of hooves upon the cobbles and heavy wheels turning. She slipped out of her bed in the nightgown the nursing staff had given her and made her way across to look outside, gazing upon the cart and grinning some before running her hands through her hair and nodding to her brother. They both knew in their hearts that somewhere, among the pain and the strife that they had enjoyed their travels and perhaps, in one way or another; they were excited for their next big adventure.
I have, as of recent been very inactive on Massivecraft and as such I decided to write this story to show you all that I'm still alive, even though I'm out of practice. I look forwards to getting back into roleplaying on the server with you all and I hope you enjoy the story, though I'm not a huge fan of what I've written. Take care and I hope to all see you on the server soon!
Callum 'James' Taylor.
Callum 'James' Taylor.
@SpoopMelon
