Dragon & Dreamer | ONC 2023 honourable mention

9 - Messenger

The morning after the impromptu council in the Tannarí camp, Dánirah was the first to leave Senai's hut. Fresh snow covered the camp like a fluffy blanket and sparkled in the first sunlight. It felt like an iniquity to step into this pristine beauty.

Orinai joined her, A'shei snuggled up in her thick jacket. "What a beautiful day to start a journey."

Dánirah nodded. She knew it was time to move on, but she longed to stay a little longer. Still, she needed to find her mother and share the king's message with her—the content of the letter He'sha had made her learn by heart. She wasn't the only messenger the impromptu Tannarí council was sending out. He'sha himself would travel with Orinai and their son to spread the news, and other young tribes-people had volunteered and assembled now in the central place of the camp.

With a sigh, Dánirah turned to the healer. "You are right, but my heart is heavy. Last night, I dreamed of dragons and a young man I might never see again."

Orinai's eyes widened. "Do you carry Shonai's gift?"

"No, my dreams are just gibberish, not prophecies like my mother's." She didn't say how much she feared following in Shonai's footsteps. Driven across the country by her dreams, never finding rest—as much as the dreamer was referred to by her people, it was a tough life.

Dánirah was glad when Senai and Naoràn interrupted the conversation. They handed out packages with food. Senai pressed a parcel into Orinai's hands. "Here. It isn't much, but it will fill your stomach. May the morning star guide your steps." She bowed over A'shei and kissed his head. "And especially yours, little one. May your path be long and joyful."

Dánirah shivered. Senai was a seer. That she felt it necessary to address the infant couldn't be a coincidence. Then the older woman enclosed her in an embrace. "Give my greetings to your mother and always follow your heart. It is a reliable guide."

"Thank you, Senai." Dánirah stowed the provisions in her bag and said her goodbyes before she followed Orinai and He'sha.

The snow was deep enough to make walking hard work. They switched the lead now and then and were glad when they reached the old road. This time of the year, it wasn't used by wagons, but progress on the well-trodden path was easier. It led them north through forests, fields, and the rolling hills of the western Haon Valley.

Two days later, around noon, He'sha stopped at a crossroad. "This is where our paths must separate, Dánirah. We turn to the west here and try to find our relatives in Eshte. It was a fortunate day that brought us together."

"It was." Dánirah shook his hand before she hugged Orinai and kissed A'shei. "Stay safe, and may our next meeting stand beneath a better star."

Orinai smiled. "Travel well, daughter of the dreamer. And may the morning star guide you forever and a day."

Dánirah waved after the young family before she turned north again. The path led her along a brook and into a spare forest. The sun shone pale through a veil of thin clouds and couldn't warm her limbs, so she ate the last of Senai's provisions while walking. Mid-afternoon, she passed a hamlet and exchanged a few words with a woman who hung her washing. She got half a loaf of bread for a blessing on the little homestead and considered asking if she could spend the night, but decided against it. It was still early, and she pushed on. The sooner she found Shonai, the better.

~ ~ ~

Over the next days, the temperature rose, and the snow turned to slush. Dánirah's shoes were soaked and progress became slow. She wondered if she should press for the main road in the lowlands, where settlements were denser, and the opportunities to find a place to sleep under a roof would be more frequent. Out here, the farmsteads lay long distances apart. But she preferred the quiet countryside and hoped she'd be safer out here than in a more populated area.