Under a Starless Sky

Shen arrived on the beach, delivered by Oa from the depths. Not once while in her care, did he suffer the pain of not being able to breathe. He felt Loxy holding him till the last; she was warm, the water beyond her cold. He emerged from the water dry. He walked up on shore, completely dry, no mud sticking to him as we walked from shore to grass. It was dark. The water was dark. The sky was dark. There was no discerning horizon or trees or anything. He felt alone again. He was hoping for something more dramatic. Like, lying on the beach, feigning sleep only to be discovered and nursed back to health and maybe loved by these people in a way that they could allow him his ‘perceived’ quirkiness. That didn’t happen. He didn’t want to be loved that way, and in truth, being perceived as weak, needing perpetual mothering, was not a favored trait. He knew it, and they knew it. They broke the mother connection early.

A cold breeze finally drove him from the water’s edge. The pocket on his poncho accepted both hands. The gift orb was in his left hand. He turned it in his hand as he walked. The province fire was noticeably larger than usual, and he made his way there, clicking. Guards met him before he emerged fully into the light.

“Identify yourself.” Soella’s voice was evident.

“Just your friendly, useless fire hugger, seeking warmth,” Shen said.

Soella sparked her staff. It flashed and grew bright. The other two with her illuminated their staffs. He was triangulated. They were ready to kick his butt.

“You made us think you were dead?” Soella asked. “What purpose did that serve?”

“I…” Shen said. He thought about telling them, but then, that might lead to more questions. Questions he couldn’t explain and would only make him look crazier than he was. “I am sorry. I wanted to see if anyone would miss me.”

Soella smacked him with her staff. When she brought it back, she tripped him, put him on the ground, put a foot on his chest, and tapped the ground next to his ear with the butt of her staff.

“I should kill you for being such an idiot,” Soella said. “Who healed you?”

“What?” Shen asked. He was healed! Oa or Loxy had healed him and he hadn’t even noticed because he was so absorbed in the situation.

“You were pummeled,” Soella said. “Everyone saw this. We suspected a broken nose, your left eye was swollen. You look uninjured, which means, someone healed you. Who broke a protocol?”

looked worse than it did and the cold

by his clothes, and dragged him back to the fire. The guards tapped their staffs and the lights went out. On seeing him, Candace rushed him, went to one knee, hugging him. When she was done, she backed up and slapped him. Tama approached, as did her friend and Eloa and Mina. Tama was

did was wrong,” Tama said. “But I have

too harsh on him. He is only a boy,” Eloa

inside, now,” Florence said,

away the men. She, and two other masters remained, Rena the

yourself,” Florence

I start?”

pulled under,” Florence said.

was injured. I over exerted

that you were sinking faster than a person should sink who knows how to swim. You know how to swim better than anyone I know,”

Shen swallowed.

well known here,” Rena said. “You’ve never been known to

“Quite frankly, any explanation I might offer that contradicts anything you imagine is likely to be dismissed,” Shen

saw it?” Gittan

“No one sees it,”

it let

a male,” Florence

“They’ve taken males before,” Rena said. “In fact, males are usually the first one