I split the wooden bark and the two halves of the log fall to the ground. Picking it up, I hear some voices nearby.

“It’s not good bark, the veins are purple!”

“That doesn’t matter, you can dry it in the sun.”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yuh-huh!”

“Nuh–”

“I thought you guys said you wouldn’t fight.” I interrupt Lily’s and Cieland’s argument, placing the cut halves of the wood into the rolling cart Argus is holding.

“She started it!”

I shake my head, “I’m pretty sure you both started it.”

“Nuh-uh!” They yell at the same time.

“Yuh-huh,” I reply.

“Nuh-uh–wait he’s being a jerk! He wants us to say nuh-uh!”

Lily scowls, “Tamen, that’s mean!”

Argus’ shoulders quake with silent laughter and I wink at him, “Is it heavy, Argus?”

He shakes his head and flexes his right arm. I laugh, “You’ve gotten pretty strong.”

“I’m strong too!” Lily exclaims, hacking off a branch with the small ax I sharpened for her earlier in the morning.

“Nana Fela said not to harm the trees unless you’re gonna use what you cut,” Cieland chimes.

“I-I will!” She tosses the small branch into the cart.

“The fog is pretty thick.”

Argus tugs at my sleeve and makes me realize I said that out loud.

“Nana Fela said it’s because something is happening in the sky.”

I smile at his signs, “Really now? Did she tell you guys a new tale?”

“No, she said it hasn't happened yet so she can’t.”

Leave it to Mamá to invent the craziest tales.

“My favorite story is how this fog was made,” Cieland adds.

“I like the Prince and the girl! But yeah, tell us the fog story, Tamen.”

“Why don’t you guys ask Mamá when we get home?”

“Because we’re in the middle of the fog right now. It’s cooler if you do it here.”

“Fine,” I sigh. “Long, long ago there was a Prince who fell from the sky. When he fell, he defeated the beast that plagued these lands. It was a beast described by many, but with a body that is inconsistent with every tale. Only a few things remain the same.”

“The feathers and scales!”

“The lightning!”

“The fog.”

I can’t help but smile. “It roamed these mountains and hills devouring foreign travelers that wandered into these lands. It gulped down small children that strayed far from the village. Every breath it exhaled created this fog. A fog that was part of a kingdom in the sky, and yet was so far away from it down in the ground. The beast was here for years upon years. In fact, it was here for so long that its fog was beginning to spread to the village.”

They huddle closer, quiet, and listening intently. The woods seem more eerie and alive, even to me.

“When the Prince fell, he was sent to slay the beast. Knowing well that the creature was maddened he walked through the forest ready to pierce his knife through it. What was peculiar however was that instead of baring its fangs, the beast stared with eyes that reflected the sky. Eyes so similar to the Prince’s. The beast saw home, and so did the Prince. He was no longer lost or frightened within his own fog.

“As gratitude to the Prince, who did not judge it by its size or fangs and instead by his eyes, the beast swore to protect the village forever. To only harm those who seek to harm the village. After all, it was the thing the Prince cared for most. It was hard but the people forgave the beast, for if they had sought to understand it before instead of blindly attacking it, perhaps there wouldn’t have been a problem to begin with. Judge the gateway to the soul, not the clothes.”

“The monster grew to love us, just like the Prince. To this day it roams through these woods. It’s breath misguiding foreigners, and its fangs devouring those who want to harm us. Especially little children who misbehave.”

“AAAAAH!” I grab Cieland from behind and wrap my arms around his shoulders. The boy yelps out a scream, and all three kids end up scared. I laugh.

“Tamen, you boob!” Cieland cries out.

“I’m a what?” I laugh more as he pushes me away. “I thought you’ve fought beasts before.”

“I have! Y-You just caught me off guard.”

“Sure, sure. Are you guys okay? I’m sorry.”

Our wood collection ends not soon after, and we find ourselves walking out of the woods and back to the village. The sun rising lessens the thick fog and it completely vanishes once Mamá’s home is in view.

A shriek catches me off guard as we get closer to the house. The closer we get, the more we can hear yelling. “You guys stay here!” I run towards the house and enter through the front. “Mamá?”

I follow the sounds of crashing and running.

Making way to the medicine room I part the curtains to reveal Meredith on the floor, and our guest trying to figure out how to open the shutters.

He began tossing his body against the wooden panes.

“Hey!” I run to him, grabbing a hold of his shoulders, “Stop! You’re gonna hurt your–”

His elbow jabs back and pain explodes against my ribcage.

“Let go of me!”

“Gods, as you wish!” I let go and he topples forward. His head hits the shutters, and he falls backwards.

“Agh!”

“Are you calm now?”

His head turns towards me and his gaze moves up, “You’re-you’re the boy who saved me.”

“I carried you here. The girl you pushed is the one who saved you along with my grandmother.”

Meredith comes next to me and offers him a hand. The bowl that had fallen on the floor is now in her other hand along with a washcloth.

“Forgive me if I startled you. I was only trying to help.”

The boy frowns and looks down, “No, it was my fault. I...shouldn’t have reacted so brazenly.” He stands with help, and his brown gaze connects with mine, “I thought you left.”

“I live here.”

Meredith steps closer to him, “You should sit. You’ve been sleeping for five days. Fela said you’d feel better in no time, and I can see she was right, but you were weak for quite a while. Also that bump on the head probably isn’t helping.”

He sits back on the bed and touches his temple with a wince.

Meredith tsks, “You scraped your forehead. I’ll go get an ointment for that scratch, and some tea for that developing headache.”

I frown as Merideth leaves the room, “Are you alright?”

“I have no idea where I am.” The words come out quiet, but I get the hint.

I sigh, pushing my hair back. “Dumb question.” I turn, open the shutters, and spot the kids outside. I wave at them signaling everything is okay. My gaze turns back to the guest and I sit on the chair beside the bed. “I have brought you to Skyland, a village in the region of Cieland. I found you northwest of here in the mountain range. You were very ill and I was able to give you some medicine, but brought you here for real treatment. My grandmother was able to recognize the ailment you had and treated it.”

“You’re very to the point.”

“What?”

He smiles. Usually, people would describe it as a smile not reaching the eyes. But his smile does, and yet at the same time doesn’t. I’ve never seen someone look happy and sad at the same time.

He extends his hand, “I would’ve preferred if you started with your name.”

My hand meets his, “Tamen,” my title should be Tamen of Skyland, Squire to Ser Willis, but that is no longer the case so... “son of Yorden.” That will work.

“Thank you for saving me, Tamen.”

I return his smile, “My pleasure, but what’s yours?”

His eyes do a quick look around their surroundings before falling back on me, “Jonah.”

I arch a brow, “Of?”

His eyes make the same movement, and I can’t tell if it’s a nervous quirk or a tell that he’s possibly lying.

“Of the West,” he shows a toothy nervous grin.

“Okay, Jonah of the West, pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure is all mine, Tamen Son of Yorden. So, I’ve never heard of Cieland.”

“Really? It’s rare for someone to have visited these lands, but we’re no longer lost to the rest of civilization.”

“I must be very, very far from the West.”

“Depends where west is for you.”

His brows scrunch together and he stares at me puzzled, “The Western Kingdom of Nuve.”

“How far away are you? I’ve never heard of that place.”

“How is that possible? Even greviges have heard of Nuve. Wait, you said Skyland is in Cieland? I think I have heard of it… perhaps my people call it something else, maybe it’s the same for you?”

His final words pass me as I question, “What the bloody sirens are greviges?”