Chapter 6

I walked downstairs the next morning and smelled the tasty breakfast laid out on the dining room table. My mother was sitting at the table with Bomo and Mara, Taglor and my father were probably done eating already. “So, you do sleep in like a normal person sometimes!” Mara spoke. A light laugh flittered from the other occupants and I smiled softly. I sat down and listened to them talk about the recent weather as I served myself some fruit pastries. “Oh Aelin, I forgot the mention you bird is sitting outside.” Mother told me, “He isn’t mine.” I said in my quiet tone, I escaped out the front door. Across the lawn sitting on an old, sloped fence post the void bird watched me walk towards him.

 When I reached him, I extended my hand and stroked his feathers. He made a deep note and looked at me with lazy eyes. I picked him up hesitantly, but he seemed almost happy to be held. After situating him in my arms, me cradling him like a baby I started walking into the forest for a stroll. He made humming noises occasionally. We reached a small grassy clearing. The sun twinkled on the green grass, wildflowers grew in patches of red, yellow and pink.

 I hummed the void bird’s song encouraging him to sing along. He sung soothingly matching my quiet tune. I spun delicately through the beams of sun light, swinging the bird slightly when I twirled. My light feet barely touched the ground as I danced around with the rhythm of the music. The bird still in my arms stared up at me with twinkling eyes as it sang for me. When the song ended, I slowed my dancing but continued to sway with the memory of it. “Good boy, thank you for singing,” I said sweetly. We continued on our walk in fond silence with the occasional chirp or chuckle.

“Aelin!” a loud screech called. “Aelin!” it repeated, and I looked up to see Cherise diving to land on a branch. “Hi Cherise!” I smiled at her. She looked at the void bird who was currently staring at her with an annoyed expression. “I would never let anyone carry me like that,” she judged the void bird. “Cherise!” I scolded her. She finally turned her attention back to me. “You know I like the travelers that are here, the old man fed me some breadcrumbs this morning.” She talked about her tasty breakfast. “It’s too bad they will be leaving the day after tomorrow.” The void bird perked up, while Cherise seemed disappointed. We continued to chat on the walk home with the void bird silent in my arms, sometimes when other birds peered at him from the treetop, he would curl his head in the crook of my arm.

 We reached my house; Cherise had flown away back to her nest, so it was quiet again. The void bird releases a squeaky chirp as I set him back on the old post. “Sorry I need to go back now.” I smiled at his disappointed gaze. At the porch, Taglor, Father and Mara sat discussing what they needed in preparation for their journey. Before I went inside, I looked up at the sky and zoned in on the clear cloudless day it was. A cool breeze blew the heat of the sun away making it a perfect day by definition. “It’s going to rain tonight, might be a storm tomorrow.” I said interrupting the conversation they were having. “I’ll tell you mother to close the windows,” father responded with a nod. “Wait, how do you know?” Asked Mara. “There’s not even a cloud in the sky!” Taglor inspected the sky. “I just do,” I said unable to explain the feeling I got. It tickled my ears and nose then; I just knew what the weather was going be. I stepped in the house as the voices continued with my father telling them it would be wise to trust me, and their curious eyes following me.

 I had dinner that night in the living room to escape the conversation and questions. I ate competent in the silence, after I finished, I took my bowl to the kitchen to wash it. When I returned to the living room to stir the fire, our guests and my parents were waiting. “Aelin, Bomo was asking about your story telling at dinner, and we were wondering if you could tell us a short tale before bed tonight?” My mother advocated, I glanced around the room at the excited faces. “Is there one you would like to hear?” I asked as I bent over and poked the fire. “Maybe tell one about the places we are traveling?” requested Mara. “Of course,” I settled into my regular chair, fitting snugly near the fire. I stared into the logs ablaze as I started the tale.

 “On a large mountain lived 4 winds, the winds each represented a different direction North, East, South, and West. They had lived together since the beginning of time but recently East and West were getting fed up with the rivalry between North and South. The competed for everything. And the other winds found it was getting harder to work around them.

 “After the most recent competition between them, they had interfered with everyone’s jobs for a stupid contest. They had waited out the seasons, seeing how long one could extend the year before the time warped into a messed-up schedule.

 “East and West began scheming a plan to unite the two winds in friendship. The plan was simple. East and west created a warp hole in the air from opposing winds, which they then claimed was an accident. North and South had to put their rivalry aside for a time to fix the problem at hand. After fixing the air hole they realized that friendship would help then smooth out the rough season and make the year a perfect sequence.

 “All the winds were now calmy friends that continued their duties with ease. They got along like matching socks. But soon another problem arose, because North and South were no longer rivals the opposing winds had settled down and the seasons were all the same. The human crops had started to die with the weather, the repeating days made the animals restless. With no cycle to time the humans could only count the days waiting for the seasons to change in hopes the dying plants and animals would feed their grumbling bellies.

 “The distress of the creatures didn’t help the pressure the winds felt at fixing their mistake. There was no option to turn North and South against each other because they were already friends. Then East suggested all they needed to do was create a friendly competition so the two friends could still be against each other but together at the same time. So, West proposed a game, the game was a memory tester. All four winds would play, the goal was to be the last wind counting each year. There was 1 rule, No disrupting the time of each season. The four winds continued the game till the end of time, they never finished counting and the seasons had all returned to a normal cycle that continued to support flourishing life.”

 I ended the short tale with a pause, before standing and heading towards the door. I heard something and paused at the doorway to listen to the rain drops that just began pitter patter on the roof. Everyone heard the rain start and peered shocked at the ceiling. “Goodnight,” I said hoarsely before yawning and heading to bed with mumbling goodnights at my back.

 When I awoke the storm pounded on my window and roof, the heavy sheet of rainwater pouring out of the sky blurred the outside world. I got dressed in warm clothes before heading downstairs for some warm breakfast. “Aelin!” Mother called out in relief. “Your bird is soaked and on the porch.” Mara stood behind Mother peering out the door window. “The men seem to be having the workout of their life out there.” Mara added. I looked out the window to find the three men chasing a black wet blob around the porch. The men slipped and slide on the wet floorboards. I couldn’t help but giggle at their efforts to catch him. Mara and Mother joined in as we all stood peering at the muddy wet cavemen trying their best. “I should put them out of their misery.” I said between laughs, “You should,” Mother said before we made eye contact and burst out laughing again.

 I opened the door before clicking my tongue, the void bird immediately ran to my feet and paused expectantly. I scooped him up, holding him away from my body as mother brought me a towel. I gently swaddled the bird and cradled him like a baby as I made my way to the living room. I placed him on his feet as I toweled him off and started petting him as he fluffed his drenched feathers up to help them dry near the fireplace. Mara walked in and handed me a breakfast plate, with an extra, small serving for the bird. “Thank you,” I responded using my manners. “You’re welcome.” Mara smiled back at me. I placed the bowl in front of the bird and watched him dig into his warmed oats hungrily. I ate my own as well. When we finished, he jumped up to my lap and curled into my side before sitting down. “Good boy.” I whispered.

 “I suppose you will be staying with me inside today?” I questioned the bird looking out at the blanket of water still being bumped outside. He also looked outside before hopping off my lap and waddling away. “Hey where are you going?” I asked the bird as he continued to wander into different rooms. I just followed him as he explored my house, he would peek to make sure I was still following every couple minutes. He paused at the kitchen door and I opened it for him. Mother and Bomo were sitting daintily sipping on tea at the island. “Hello,” I greeted them. “What are you up to?” Mother asked as the void bird continued to inspect the room. I shrugged, “He’s exploring?” We all watched as he disappeared around the counter before coming out on the other side. “So Aelin, do you go to school. You have always been at home on the days we have stayed here.” Bomo asked. “No, I was ahead of my class a few years ago so I switched to being homeschooled,” I replied. “Do you have any friends in the village?” I thought about that, I knew people, but I wouldn’t clarify them as close friends. “Or maybe a boyfriend?” I shook my head as the bird pecked Bomo’s leg with his strong break. “Hey!” Bomo exclaimed while swatting the bird away. I chuckled and picked the bird up. We made our way upstairs and I set him back down to explore the rooms upstairs for a while.

 We spent the rest of the day in the house, mostly in the study. The bird would perch on my shoulder as I read to him. My whispery voice, a breath of words, calmly swept through the room like dandelion seeds. He would make short notes at different parts of the book. We didn’t see anyone till dinner time.

 I moved the bird to my lap as I sat down for dinner. Everyone’s eyes watched the action. “He’s pretty calm for a bird,” Father observed. “Most times,” Taglor referred back to when they met. I ripped up a piece of bread and hand fed it to the bird who stared daggers at everyone else.

I smiled slightly knowing the bird was actually a big baby and not some scary monster. Dinner passed like normal, with the exception of an additional bird.

 I placed the bird in the living room with my parents and guests and went to do the dishes. With my hands submerged in soapy water scrubbing dishes I could hear concerning shrieks. I finished the dishes slowly not wanting to disrupt the frantic noises coming from the living room. When I finally reached the living room I was greeted with the view of 3 disheveled adults and 2 more who were hiding behind the furniture. Pillows and blankets were strewn about the room, some of the chairs were crooked. Perched on the edge of my chair sat the bird giving me an innocent look. I startled everyone as I start laughing at them. “What… were you trying… to do?” I asked in the middle of my fit. They looked at each other and started laughing as well. “The bird wouldn’t sit still, and he kept tricking us,” Said Father. Others nodded and agreed, “He’s a mischievous rascal when you aren’t here.” Bomo added on.

After cleaning up the mess of a living room, the bird and I headed to my room. I climbed under my many blankets and snuggled into a little nest. Suddenly my bed shook as the void bird landed on the edge before climbing over to me. I lifted the blankets to see what he would do, he crawled under the blankets and I wrapped my arm over his body. My head fell on the pillow again and I stared the bird right in the eye. “Good boy.” I pet him gently and he started his nightly song. He sung the notes deep and dreamy. I started to doze feeling the vibration through his body with each note he sang.