Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – Hearthside

Fire crackled, drawing Erik awake into the dark. Straining his eyelids open, he looked round, seeing the red haired woman stirring a black cauldron over a fire. A white cloth hung loosely over the shattered wooden wall, visible through the open door of the room. Erik felt pain well up in his abdomen, trying to lift himself up. She turned over to look at him. 

 

"Rest, you're injured." 

 

He remained still, breathing slowly. Jeria came into view, limping over from the kitchen. There was a look of defeat on her face as she sat down behind the woman in silence. The fire crackled again as she let go of the spoon adding a myriad of dried herbs and spices to the boiling broth. 

 

She was focused only on the cauldron, ensuring her steps were precise, complete and accurate. Erik could guess that it was medicine for him. In fact, the only thing that Erik could do was guess, now that bits and pieces of memories, not his, came to him.

 

He remembered the green plains where he'd woken up. He remembered running through them, enjoying the breeze and the sun. And then, cold. 

 

He remembered the feel of water enveloping his body, filling every inch of his lungs. He would've died. He probably might've, for when he woke up, he was… Jack, in Erik's body and world. 

 

‘So that was my name…’

 

He remembered Jeria leaning over him with a blistering fire enveloping his wet clothes as her tear-stained face cried to him that it would be okay. He remembered the time before that, filling a basket with some bread before they snuck out and he remembered his mum flashing him a smile when he turned around from afar.

 

There was a clatter as the spoon dropped aside. The woman dipped a wooden bowl into

the steaming cauldron, the thick scent of spices pouring through Erik's nose. She walked over and got down on her feet by Erik, lifting up his head as she put the hot bowl to his lips. He coughed and sputtered as the congee burned his throat on its way down but she wouldn't relent until he finished gulping the entire thing. He pushed away the empty bowl, feeling the warmth fill his being.

 

In just a few moments, his entire body warmed up, the pain overshadowed by a burning sensation as his skin prickled all over. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to fight the pain. Coughing endlessly, his mind went into overdrive, the bits and pieces whizzing through. He saw things in his mind, things that happened around Erik. 

 

The first time he saw someone use an elemental magic, the training of the young boys and girls, the crackling fire as a younger Jeria set the bed post ablaze in the dead of the night, the joy of moments after as their parents rushed into the room and put it out, hugs and kisses for all... a family.

 

Jeria looked with concern, her face somewhat bruised as bandages covered her arms and legs and body underneath her clothes. 

 

"Is he alright?"

 

The woman sighed, rubbing Jeria's hand with her thumb.

 

"It's okay."

 

She bit her lip.

 

Even though the two made a ruckus, Jeria was the one capable of handling it, even having the strength to hit back after being beat down so much. After all, she was getting trained along with the rest of the students. Unlike Erik... an unawakened. 

 

Erik lay still now, the pain having subsided. The medicine did its thing, although he wasn't sure what it was. All he knew was he felt lighter than before and wanted to rest. He opened his eyes, glancing at the woman and Jeria. She smiled as she clasped his warm hand, squeezing it tightly. He was part of a family. 

 

They were not nobles, they were not impoverished. They were just alright, capable enough to handle their own through thick and thin, to smile through the days, to toil through and feed themselves. 

 

A family.

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"Sleep soundly, my child. You're okay now."

 

He looked over at Jeria, who averted her gaze, not wanting to look him in the eye after being partially responsible for this. He simply sighed, smiling lightly. Even though he wasn't all that a fan of Jeria... in his memories, they were inseparable, thicker than thieves.

 

He was there when she first awakened her power while he giggled and she concentrated on the bed post. She was there when he used to get picked on by the bigger kids in the market. Today, she pulled him out of a river and saved him. Even though things within him had changed... she would be there for him. 

 

"Yeah, it's okay."

 

He said, closing his eyes, going into a restful slumber. The woman stood up, letting go of his hand, her eyes sparing a glance at the open wall through the door. She turned to face Jeria,

 

"What happened out there?"

 

Jeria shuffled over beside Erik, taking up his hand as she spoke,

 

"He... fell into a river."

 

"You pulled him out?"

 

"Mhm. I used fire to warm him up and he coughed up water, lots… and lots of it."

 

A frightening moment for Jeria, seeing her brother struggle in the water for only a moment, before sinking so fast… If she hadn’t jumped in immediately, there was no saying where he would’ve been now. The woman nodded her head. Even though he was alright having come home and sat through lunch….. that kick was more damaging than intended.

 

She sighed, shaking her head. Nothing she couldn't fix. Inwardly, she felt guilty and hurt that Erik would be subjected to living life as an Unawakened. Unable to train, to make something more of himself like the rest of them... a part of her felt at fault for his fate, her eyes welling up.

 

"If he wakes up in the night, give him another bowl."

 

Jeria made a noise in agreement, keeping her head on the bed and her hand holding his. The fire began to dim out underneath the cauldron, immediately reduced to smoldering embers. The woman walked out, closing the door behind her, heading to her room. 

 

Jeria sighed, some pain lingered in her body from the ungodly beating she took... It was somewhat uncomfortable to be seated in such a manner on the floor. She lifted her head, looking over at Erik. He was sound asleep, breathing slowly and soundly. Looking past, there was some space beside him. Thinking for a little more than a moment, she took a deep breath and stood up.

 

'It would be like when we were children.'

 

Swinging her legs over his figure and climbing onto the bed, she slowly laid down beside him, pulling up the blanket to his chest, patting it in place. Her eyes kept focused on his face as he slept, a bit of a smile on her face as she kissed his cheek. She said as she put her head on the pillow beside him, closing her eyes. 

 

"You're not so weak."

 

The moonlight shone through the clouds, illuminating parts of the room as the two fell asleep.

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