Every Little Memory

Entry #11: Blue Violet

There is nothing I love more than an evening after the rains. After the chaos of the storm comes a certain tranquility like no other. The storm has a certain hold on the world, frightening away all that lingers. All creatures, be they pure or malevolent, hide themselves away as nature's fury is unleashed in a torrent of water and lightning. When the wrath cools, the land is still. All creatures remain hidden. The trees, the plants, the spirits, all remain silent, moving only to bend in the lingering breezes. It is as if the storm has frightened them into submission, into silence. 

And the sky… Oh the sky… It is a sight like no other. As the sun sinks below the horizon, the vast sky of Fen displays a wondrous array of blue, violet, and black. As the blue daytime sky shifts to the rich black of midnight, a deep violet forms in the process. Then the stars twinkle into view, one at a time, completing the perfect evening sky. 

This beautiful tranquility can only be found on the evening after a storm. Ever since I was a child, I wondered why only the rains brought nature's masterpiece. Mother used to tell me that storms were Fennarie's bouts of rage, and the following peace was her way of apologizing. For the longest time, that was the perfect answer. However, now that I no longer have faith in the goddess, I begin to wonder once more.

In the last memory I witness, a storm had emerged from an ominous blue grey sky. It feels as though this memory happened following the rains. I am standing on the outskirts of a still, eerie Nocturne Hollow, under the blue violet sky.

The peasants who hired the Esterguard hunters to eliminate Kaiya and her mother are standing beside me. I can hear their nervous chatter, interrupting the calm after the storm. Their eyes are focused on the woods, watching it as if it were the source of a plague. I agree that the darkness within is unnerving.

I hear whispers of, "Should we go in after them?" "It's been several hours now. Should we assume the worst?" "What if there really is a lupine in there?"

A man addresses the group, urging them to be silent. "There's no use standing about here like frightened rabbits. Go home. Pray to Fennarie for their safe return."

I am not going to stand around. I trudge straight into the forest, unafraid. I'm just the bystander, the silent watcher. No one can hear or see me. Nothing can help or harm me. So there's nothing to be afraid of. I want to find this Kain fellow and find out what he's up to.

I stop at Kaiya's cave house, where I can smell meat cooking. My stomach feels queasy when I remember what they're cooking, but I have to fight through it. Kaiya's mother is sitting against the cave wall, holding a clay bowl in her hands. She gently places various herbs into the bowl. Kaiya is brewing something in the pot. She inhales and licks her lips, a hungry stare in her amber eyes.

I search for Kain, and find him hidden in the shadows of the trees. His dark clothes are the opposite of the regal clothes I had last seen him in. He wears brown trousers, a black cloth shirt, and some rather expensive looking boots. There is no doubt in my mind that he is a demon lord, and a vain one at that. His manner of dress tells this much. He seems to take pride in his appearance. 

Kaiya's mother sniffs the air as she begins to grind the herbs into some form of spice. "It smells good," she comments.

Kaiya grins and nods in response. "I bet it will taste even better, especially with your spices."

A tranquil silence lingers for a short while before her mother pauses. She remains calm, but it seems as though she detected something. "Darling, could you go out and get some more herbs for the spice? I don't think I have enough here. I'll keep an eye on the food while you're gone."

"Sure, no problem," she replies, already standing up. She darts off into the dark forest, disappearing into the shadows.

A few minutes go by in uncomfortable silence. The only sound to be heard is Kaiya's mother grinding the herbs. Without looking up from her work or glancing out, she calls, "I know you are out there."