Everything Begins

Chapter 4

As the boy took his final bite, Shane said, "You know, you can eat yourself to death unless..." He looked at the boy.Shane laughed as the boy shook his head.Unless, of course, it has already occurred.

After giving a nod, the boy consumed the stew, a second slice of bread, and the third cup of milk.His stomach was bloated when he was done, but he looked a little better.Millere sat at the table and observed Shane's mother and father as they ate, but they had already gone to bed.She smiled at the boy when he finally put down his spoon and sat back in the chair.

"It's late, but would you like to take a shower?"

Millere's heart clenched at the sight of the child in front of her as the boy nodded.She and Shane had attempted to have a child of their own for ten years, but it was not to be.

She got up and extended her hand, saying, "Come on, then."She led the boy through a door into the bathing room after the boy took it.With a large kettle of boiling water, Shane followed them.Shane added the hot water to the tub after Analy had already filled it with water and tested the temperature.

He said, "Perfect. "Would you prefer Millere to assist you or me?

Millere made his way to the front room after the boy pointed in his direction.She said, closing the door, "I will get one of your shirts for him to wear."

The boy's hand flew to the token when Shane reached for it, and he grabbed it with a possessive grip as he pulled the ragged tunic over the boy's head, wincing inwardly at the ribs sticking out above the protruding belly.

Shane stated, "The water will not be good for the leather, so I am not going to take it from you."You can put it back on when you are finished by placing it here, next to the tub.

The boy slowly took the token away and gave it to Shane, giving the impression that he was unsure of what to do.He then carefully entered the tub.As dirt washed off the boy's Janeciated body, the water became almost immediately darker.He remembered where he had previously seen the eagle token as Shane began to scrub the boy with a linen cloth.

It had been roughly a decade ago.At the time, he was captain, and his team had been patrolling the Kedara Plains, west of the Parbatas, when they came across a small village about 50 leagues from the mountains.The odd men in blue and black uniforms who had unexpectedly approached the forty or so residents had been received with respect and peace.Adama, the chief, had shown them where to wash up, provided them with a last meal, and offered them a place to sleep.Shane and his men had accepted with gratitude.At the chief's hut, he had noticed the eagle token on his door.He was certain that it was identical to the boy's token.

As he gently rinsed the boy's hair with soap, he asked, "Boy, is your father's name Adama?"

The boy nodded as tears welled up in his violet eyes.

Then I am aware of your origin, but I am unable to comprehend how you arrived here.Why are you alone in here?How did you cross the mountain range?

Shane knew the answers to his questions, the boy's bottom lip trembled, and the tears started to fall.

"Oh, Yisu, holy!Isn't it true that they are all dead?

Shane was sufficiently reassured by the boy's sobs to realize that he was correct.He grabbed a towel and pulled the boy out of the tub after wrapping it around him.As the boy cried, he held him tightly to his chest until Shane thought the boy might pass out from lack of air.

As he began to rock the boy, he repeatedly muttered, "I am so sorry."

Millere got a glimpse inside when the door slammed open at that moment.

"Is everything in order?"

Shane replied, "No," as she entered and shut the door behind her.No, things are far from perfect.Millere placed a clean shirt next to him and he didn't elaborate.After that, she sat down behind her husband and knelt down, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Can I do anything about it?"

Shane bitterly stated, "There is even nothing I can do," when he realized the boy's sobs had stopped.His slender hands were tightly twisted in Shane's white linen shirt, and he had his head on the chest of the man.Shane gave the child a slight push back and gazed into the child's glowing eyes, which were now filled to the brim with sorrow.

"It was, wasn't it, the Asabya?"All peaceful people faced a threat from the barbarians and a rival.

The boy gave a nod, his eyes filled with pain and anger.

“When?”

The kid thought as he cocked his head.He then extended his four fingers.

"Four weeks ago?"

The youngster shook his head and made a point of pointing to the full moon that could be seen through the window.

Five moons?Shane was incredulous and asked, "You've been alone for four moons?”

After giving a second nod, the boy let out an enormous yawn.After vigorously rubbing the boy with the towel, Shane pulled the boy's shirt over his head.The tiny hands were swallowed by it as it fell to the ground.

Shane said, "I know you are tired, but I have one more question for you" as he rolled up his sleeves.It is significant.

The young man gave a nod and tried to look up.

"How often have you perished?"

The young man extended both of his free hands before extending two fingers from his left hand.Shane grinned as Millere exhaled.

“Twelve?Dozen times?”

A second nod

Shane inhaled deeply.What is your age?”

The boy leaned against Shane's chest with his hands on his lap after six fingers went up.After cradling him close, the officer got up.He turned to face his wife and saw her face reflect his own horror.

As he struggled to control his emotions, he whispered, "Twelve deaths in four moons, Millere."He is only six, holy Yisu.What has this child experienced?

He got closer to his wife because she was crying.She placed her cheek on the damp boy's hair as she encircled them both with her arms.

Shane, "He has been to Hell and back."Back to hell."

The Johnson family was on their way to Torkeln that afternoon.Millere wanted to make sure that the boy would be taken care of because Miva had decided that it would be a good time to buy supplies in bulk.Analy and Millere rode in tandem with Miva as he drove the wagon.However, the boy had refused to ride with anyone other than Shane, and as they sat on Gorshan, they formed an odd pair.

With his proud demeanor and graceful steps, the large coal black stallion was clearly a warhorse, and the man astride him was clearly a high-ranking officer.Once more, Shane was dressed in a clean blue jacket with gold embroidery on the sleeves and collar to show that he was a general serving the crown. He also wore a clean white shirt, black breeches, and black boots that shined.The leather-wrapped hilt and tooled scabbard of his sword, which was now on his left hip, were both polished to a shine.The child sitting in front of him was the oddity, with a silver eagle gleaming against the front of his shirt attached to a silver chain.Even though Millere and Analy had spent the morning sewing him a shirt, breeches, and a new cloak, he was still barefoot. His long, blonde hair was in a plait that reached almost to his waist, and a new black leather thong was tied around his temples.When the boy's hair was dry and clean, Shane was surprised to see the color.Despite the mud and grime that had saturated it, he had assumed it to be either black or dark brown.The boy's last meal of the night and his hearty first meal had already contributed significantly to his frame's expansion, and his bones were no longer prominently visible beneath his skin.Although they had never seen an Anmah before, Shane's family had expressed surprise at this.Shane explained that the boy's body was making good use of the food quickly and that they were healing extremely quickly.

About two hours after the boy was put to bed, Shane found out that he could talk.Additionally, several forest animals and the entire house had.During those two hours, Shane and Millere had placed him on the bench in the front room.She had been in his arms for a very long time, and they more than made up for his absence.Shane was unable to relax after she fell asleep with her head on his chest.While his wife curled up against him in bed, he considered the boy.The Parbata Mountains stood in the way, and the village he had come from was nearly one hundred leagues away from Torkeln.The child's ability to navigate those mountains on his own and not become forever lost amazed Shane.He was aware of numerous men who had not achieved that feat.

Shane jumped out of bed and dashed to the front room as a piercing scream filled the house shortly after Millere fell asleep.The youngster had his eyes closed tightly as he was bouncing around on the bench.The remaining three people in the house moved into the room behind Shane as soon as he got close to them.Thin arms flailed and tiny fists pounded against the boy's chest as Shane attempted to pull him away from himself.The boy started screaming at Shane, his voice high with fear, to Shane's surprise.No!Keep me to myself!Baba!Aid me!Please, no!It stings!Baba