Page 54 of Stormlost

‘I understand. Thank you. I’ll do it. But please, when this is over, promise you’ll care for Jon. I don’t like to think of hurting him. I don’t hate him, as much as I’d like to.’

‘You’re very brave, Sereh.’ It was Elen who broke the silence. ‘Very, very brave. Jon has endured much. None of us would deny it. But he’s a brave, strong man. He’s like his grandmother. And his grandfather.’ Now Sereh saw the tears on the cheeks of everyone, from Emma, to Elen, to Gunnar and Brand, and even young Finn. And then, on Jon’s face as well as he stepped free from the little storage area she’d once hidden within. She met his grey eyes, and he smiled at her, sadly, and yet, it promised her his support. No matter what. No matter what.

27

SEREH

Sereh glided through the next three days. Every free moment, she stared at the swirling symbols, determined to correctly memorise them. It became something of a challenge. They would all look at them, and then, over their meals, they would discuss elements. Elen noticed the strange, claw like swirls on the second image. Jon detected the correct placement of the full dragon claw over the image as well, slightly off centre, breaking only some of the lines. Finn piped up to state that one image was larger than the other. And so it went.

Finn even announced that the way she would most easily learn how to form the symbols, was to do so using anything she could find, from pieces of discarded fur to pebbles from the warren to chunks of broken peat cake.

She found herself parting Arrow’s fur and tracing the shapes with her fingers amongst the wolf-dog’s grey, white and black fur. She could make the shapes with her eyes closed. She could visualise them on her eyelids before she slept. She didn’t see much of Jon, and for that she was grudgingly grateful to him, even though she didn’t want to be. She knew he was purposefully staying away from her.

But then the fourth day dawned and everything was wrong.

She woke, filled with plans for visiting the warren, for showing Pal the hares, for venturing to the hunting grounds to look at the beautiful lake. She didn’t understand when they spoke of Erann. She didn’t wish to be forced to sit still and memorise symbols that meant nothing to her.

‘Why?’ she demanded of Emma, frustrated by the hard look in her eyes, and her rigid stance. Even Elen seemed unusually cross with her, every time she tried to help with Pal. ‘What do they mean? Why do I have to know them.’

‘It is imperative you learn the shapes,’ Emma commanded.

‘Look, look,’ and Finn tumbled a collection of stones and odds pieces of fur onto the table. ‘It’s a fun game. I’ll help you,’ he announced brightly, the only one not to scowl at her.

‘It’s no game,’ she rejected, crossing her arms over her chest, not wanting to disappoint him, but doing so all the same. ‘Shall we go to the warren? We can find a game to play there? Counting the hares? Finding the babies? That would be a fun game.’

‘No, Sereh, no,’ Finn rejected, his eyes suddenly ancient as he watched her. ‘No, Sereh. Please, this must be done,’ he persisted, ‘and you will thank us for it. We promise.’

Even sweet Pal wouldn’t settle in her arms. When Emma and Elen bundled off on some task concerned with the Speaker, whoever that was, Sereh took the opportunity to dart away to the warren.

There she felt carefree, allowing the sun’s warmth to burn her face. She laughed and laughed, as the hares rushed hither and thither, only to be discovered.

‘I knew you’d be here,’ Finn murmured, his voice filled with disappointment. ‘Come on. Arrow’s looking for you, and you need to return to your task.’

Grumpily, she slouched from the warren and made her way back to the common room. There, Arrow planted her head on her knee, and it seemed as though she intended to weigh her down.

‘Come, Sereh. Return to your task,’ Elen suggested. ‘I’ve made these to make it less onerous.’ But not even Elen’s wonderful treat of spiced and sweet peat cakes, could make Sereh settle to the task.

Her legs felt jittery, her hands wouldn’t lie still. And yet she couldn’t escape. Well, not until the others slept, and she slipped from her bed, mindful not to wake Finn or Arrow, and snuck her way down the long, long passageway, that led to the hunting grounds. She didn’t follow the steps, although she knew they were there. Something warned her against doing so. Instead, she took the gently sloping route, curling around the mountain, suppressing her exhaustion as she trudged downwards.

She hoped Emma and Elen wouldn’t seek her there. And perhaps that was where Jon had gone. He’d been markedly absent of late.

‘Hello, Jon,’ she called, smiling with pleasure at finding him camping in a makeshift tent made from animal skins, not far from the deep lake, in which fish occasionally jumped from free the water, only to re-enter again with an almighty splash.

He was so handsome. The way his eyes glinted. The way his lips touched one another. She would welcome being kissed by him.

But Jon didn’t look pleased to see her.

‘Go away, Sereh,’ he rounded on her, his words contrary to the flash of desire she thought she’d seen in his eyes. ‘Go away, get back to the common room.’

Sereh paused, pulling her thick cloak from her shoulders, pleased to allow the warmth of the growing daylight to touch her skin. She kept a secret smile to herself. Jon was uncomfortable at her arrival. She thought that meant her felt the same way she did.

‘I think I’ll stay,’ she offered in what she hoped was a coquettish way. His soft sigh was audible, but she ignored it and stepped closer to him.

‘Go away. Or, well, I’ll make you leave.’

She laughed again, stopping herself from reaching out to touch his auburn hair.

‘How would you do that? I’m allowed here. We all are.’ But her gaze settled on what he was doing, with some sticks, pieces of long grass and anything else he’d been able to find.