A month went by and Ajnin was still in Chang Khu in the middle of April. He stayed with various people, never in the same home for too long. He did various jobs to pay for his upkeep, as he had done since he was a boy to save up money. It was how he'd helped his parents pay for his horse, and how he was able to travel now. At some point he had believed he would use those precious savings to establish his own home when he would begin a new family of his own. But those ideas were all but forgotten when his best friends were scattered, and pieces of him with them. All he wanted to do was run - see new things, meet new people, explore new places - and forget what he was running from. Life hadn't gone the way he expected, and he hoped to discover his destiny. Wherever it might turn up.
If truth be told, Ajnin had been hoping to run into Drea throughout his travels. But truth is, of course, not often told. And now that his wildest dream had come true, he was beginning to regret it. She was so disagreeable. He remembered bantering with her on a regular basis throughout his childhood, beginning probably when she learned the word "no." It was fun, at least for the most part. Viggo had always been his closest friend, his equal, and his brother if he ever had one. His level head and gentle demeanor were exactly what Ajnin needed to (almost) keep him out of trouble. But the little girl who had the tenacity to soon catch up to the two older boys, had a mischievous nature that resonated with Ajnin's.
There wasn't much resonating going on between the two now, despite the fact that they both still had a liking for mischief. They had much less in common than they used to, and neither was about to bend for the other. When the full moon came, Ajnin invited Drea to celebrate with him outside under the open sky. She flat out refused. But there were a few in Chang Khu who were curious to see the young Kharman's Miranite worship routine. Among them were Sethu, Neenan (old Torvial's woman), a young man named Lav, and Mordramah. She was the girl who had smiled and waved at Ajnin his first evening in the village. He had stayed in several homes since then, and still never in hers, but he was perfectly willing to talk to her. Attention from girls had yet to have ever bothered him, and he was glad especially to talk to anyone who showed the slightest interest in Miranism.
The next morning, Ajnin found Drea under her tree, counting a bag full of money. "Sheesh, you really are the richest person around, aren't you?" he asked. "What're you saving it for this time? Another horse?"
"Nope," she answered, her eyes still on her money, counting absently.
"What then?" he persisted. "I've never known you to hold onto much money for long unless you were saving for something specific."
"I am," she said, counting, counting, counting. He could see she was almost done counting the bag, so he waited silently for an exasperating minute (silence is exasperating for big mouths). She finished, then put all the money back in the bag. With a very faint smirk, she pulled another bag from underneath her tent.
"Really?!" Ajnin exclaimed, dropping his jaw. Her smirk grew to its normal form, and she began to count. "No, hold on!" he said. "Are you going to tell me or not?"
"I'm getting more land," Drea said, counting with ease as she spoke.
"More land?!" he asked. "What for? Where?"
"Not here," she answered. "It'll be a week's ride or so from Chang Khu. Cherithia is just the beginning," she smiled ambitiously. "I plan to have places of my own scattered all over, so I can always have somewhere to touch down as I roam around."
"I see," he said. "Don't you ever think about settling in one place?"
"Why would I do that?" she demanded.
"Oh I don't know--maybe so your friends and family can keep track of you!"
"I won't be tied down," she said fiercely. "This is my life and I'll do what I want with it. If you have a problem with that, you found your way here, you can find your way back to Luna Land."
Ajnin had never heard the term "Luna Land" used with such a negative tone. It was a silly but affectionate nickname given to the Miranite-infested rural area surrounding the Akylas farm and the famous ophrysial that sat on the highest clearing of their hilly land in northern Kharma. And although he didn't like spending a lot of time there, Luna Land was still the place where he grew up, the place where he became the man he was - whoever that was, he wasn't completely sure anymore. Regardless, he was offended.
"Who said I was here because of you anyway?" he said loudly. "Whatever you choose to do with your life is your problem, but I can stay in Chang Khu as long as I choose, because that's my life!"
"Oh, yeah," she said snidely, "I forgot. You're very busy trying to make Miranites here too, because you're so much better than the rest of us. Well hopefully next full moon you'll remember to use lemongrass to repel the mosquitoes. Or actually, it's better you don't, because this way everyone who went to your leeligh has the bites to show for it, like a special kind of new life mark that's a lot easier to get than a tattoo." Her familiar laugh was not friendly.
And neither were Ajnin's itchy mosquito bites. But he would not let her trample on his confidence in himself or his religion, so he made his counter attack. "Make fun if it makes you feel better," he said coolly, "but you should consider yourself carefully, Adder--" he narrowed his eyes-- "You're on a dangerous path, and I've tried to give you your space, but you're asking for trouble. If you don't watch yourself, you'll find yourself taking a trip to the wrong place when Gadriel comes to the world. And I don't want to see that happen."
"Well you shouldn't worry so much about me," Drea leaned back and stretched. "Gadriel hasn't arrived just yet, and we've only been waiting for - what? 200 years?"
"You shouldn't test the gods, Drea," he said. "The time is sooner than you think, and there will be no place for killing in the Kingdom of Light, no place for your rebellious attitude."
"Guess I'll be making a quick visit to the sun then," she said lazily, her hands behind her head, "and Nalick can burn me alive. Doesn't sound like a terrible way to go, when you think about it. I mean I can feel the warmth from the sun all the way down here, so if I went there, I assume it'll only take a fraction of a second to die, it'll be so hot. But honestly--" she sat up-- "what kind of sore loser bakes her disobedient children to death? Who even has time for that?" And she lay back down and closed her eyes.
"You were raised with all the light a lumen could ask for," Ajnin said, shaking his head. "You chose the Miranite life, you got your mark to testify to that commitment. That was your own freewill choice. You know better than to live the way you do." She still lay unmoving with her eyes closed, seeming not to care that he was saying anything. "I shouldn't have to explain the ways of the gods to you."
"But I'd like to hear you try," she scoffed, apparently listening afterall. "You think just because the Arrians have always believed the sun could somehow manage to keep lumens alive eternally while burning them to death, and the Mirans decided the bad guys would die there instead of being tortured through all eternity - you think that makes all the difference in the world and you're so smart now? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Obviously the sun is our source of life," Ajnin answered, "more specifically, Nalick, its goddess. But balance is in order. If you get too close, her presence will kill you instead of giving you life. That's just a natural consequence. But that's not your problem. Your problem is that you're always running farther away from the light, and that'll be the death of you."
"You know what?" Drea yawned. "I think I'll just wait and see if the king of Arria forces the world to worship him under the half moon, since the Mirans say that'll happen again before Gadriel decides to make his trip. When that actually happens, I'll believe you."
"When that actually happens," Ajnin said, "it'll be too late. Your chance to make it to the Kingdom of Light will be over."
"Then I'll burn," she said promptly with a careless tone, throwing her hands up into the air. "And I'll know I had a fun and adventurous life, which is more than can be said for some people."
"You have your definition of 'fun' all wrong," he said. "What are you accomplishing out here? Running around killing things and counting your money like it matters, when we'll be leaving this world soon anyway along with everything we gained in it except our characters!"
"I really don't need a babysitter, Ajnin," she said, rolling her fiery eyes. "I can take care of myself just fine and I'm rather partial to my own definition of fun. And as much as I always enjoy watching you make a fool of yourself, I'm going to have to cut this entertainment short as my traps in the forest need to be checked, and I've wasted too much time already talking to an idiot. But you're welcome to come with me and help me chop off some snake heads." And she smiled, picking up her machete and sheathing it in a scabbard of thick snakeskin.
"You know I'm not doing that," he answered seriously.
"No? I thought you might want to tag along and find something in the forest to soothe your new life marks," she said sarcastically, "but suit yourself. See ya!" And she stepped outside of the branches and whistled for Shadyn.
Ajnin followed and said, "Why do you have to be so hateful? I was only trying to help!"
"I don't need your help," she said, climbing onto her black stallion. "In fact," she went on, "the only person I need is Shadyn." And she leaned forward to kiss his silky mane just before galloping full speed toward the forest, leaving Ajnin standing alone by the cherry tree, pink petals gently dropping through the air all around him like a mystical dream. He couldn't remember if he ever felt so miserable. He just stood there for a minute, then sat on the ground for a few more minutes to regroup before heading back to Chang Khu. From there, his thoughts swirled about and the rest of the day he remained in an unhappy mood.
Perhaps there was one time in his life that equalled today in misery. Of course that was Drea's doing too. It was that morning nearly four years ago when he came striding happily up to his best friends' door and heard Hapak talking loudly inside. Ajnin wasn't sure what it could possibly be about at first, but Hapak sounded very angry and Viggo was the recipient. He had walked all the way to the Akylas house and it seemed a waste to just walk all the way back. He wondered if Drea was outside somewhere and might tell him what the problem was. He wouldn't have been too surprised if it had been her that Hapak was arguing with. But Viggo? That was strange indeed. But the Akylases were practically family to Ajnin, so he stayed by the door listening for a short time, hoping he could get an idea of what was going on and see if he could help.
"Did she tell you where she was going?!" Hapak asked, sounding exasperated.
"No," Viggo answered in his always calm and controlled voice.
"So you just let her go without even finding out where! What have you done?! Do you know what could happen to her out there in the world on her own?!"
"Dad, I don't understand what you think I was supposed to do - argue with her? Take her down and tie her up? She had already made up her mind and packed and everything by the time she came to me to say goodbye, and you know how she is when she makes up her m--"
"You went behind my back and helped her get that horse! If you hadn't done that, this wouldn't have even been an issue!"
"Hapak!" This time the voice was Epifany's. "This isn't Viggo's fault and putting the blame on him won't help anything!"
"You're right," Hapak said, "afterall you yourself knew what they were doing and kept it from me. What has happened to this family? Why do I get no respect? Why am I the bad guy? Don't I take care of my family? Why all this sneaking around and keeping secrets from me? I am a member of this family too and I deserve some respect!"
"It's because you react like this to things," Viggo said. "None of us want to come to you and talk about something when we know you'll fly off the handle or try to change our minds."
"Why wouldn't I fly off the handle?" Hapak asked. "My daughter is gone and I don't know where she is!"
"Viggo," his mother asked shakily, "what else did she say?"
"Well I asked her to at least write and let us know she's okay, and she said she would."
At that point Ajnin couldn't take it anymore and he opened the door to jump right into the middle of the fray. "What's going on?" he asked. "Is Drea gone?" The answer was obvious, but he had to ask anyway because his mind or his heart or something wasn't accepting the fact. But when it was explained to him, the heavy truth sank in and hit his gut hard. "Gone - she's gone," he told himself, the words playing and replaying in his skull like an echo. It seemed his whole world had changed, his life began to spin in confusion. Since childhood he had taken for granted that Drea would always be there, her free spirit keeping pace with his own as no one else could. He never expected it to send her flying out of his reach.
With the part of his heart that she had taken hold of ripped suddenly out of his chest, he knew like never before how deep his feelings were for that reckless girl. The pain from that ragged hole was nothing he had ever anticipated in his motivated life. Viggo kept him as informed as he himself could be, but the first several months were difficult. And according to Granna Lowyn's reports, Drea was only growing more rebellious. She had even executed a small, nonvenomous snake in the yard for trying to eat a toad. Like any real Miranite, Granna was not happy with that stunt. Ajnin worried that Drea could be so willing to take the sacred matter of life and death into her own hands, even if it was only a snake.
Of course now it was easy to see where that had led. Apparently she had developed a real fascination with killing snakes, and coveted their skin as well. But she had never mentioned this new hobby or career in her letters to her family, most of which were shared with him. Over time, he wrote many letters for Epifany and Viggo to include with theirs whenever Drea might give them a destination to send mail to. Drea would write back to him, but aggravatingly she never sent them directly to him or told him where he could send letters directly to her. So he was at a disadvantage as far as being able to keep in touch, as letters between him and Drea always went through Battle Creek first, and he was never up-to-date enough to find her in his travels.
Yet at long last, it had happened quite by accident. Here they both were, staying in Chang Khu of all places. He had taken it as a sign of destiny from the gods, and had been sure he was supposed to reach her and that he could accomplish it. Today seemed to prove otherwise. They had grown too different, he concluded, and Drea clearly cared nothing for him. Perhaps it was time to let it go. Perhaps if he ran away, he could escape the grip of this pain. Afterall, with his efforts accomplishing nothing, there wasn't much use being here.
As he sat brooding in the evening, Lav, his current roommate, brought him a letter that had come from Viggo. Self-indulgently wallowing in his sorrows, he opened the letter, expecting his best friend to cheer him up. What he found instead was that the letter was addressed to "Ajnin and Drea" and that Viggo had his own burdens to worry about. Apparently his mother's health was only getting worse, and he was concerned that there was no way to reverse her condition. He hoped they would come to Battle Creek as soon as possible. He also mentioned a new friend named Alethes who was under his care as well, suffering from amnesia due to an accident.
It dawned on Ajnin that his buddy really had his hands full, and here he was feeling sorry for himself just because things weren't going as smoothly as he'd hoped. And though going to see Drea didn't sound too fun right now, he realized he had to face her, for Viggo, and for Epifany. He didn't allow himself to hesitate or think about it, he just got up and left the house with that letter, marching toward that cursed cherry tree, praying for strength from Gadriel. When he found Drea, he handed her the letter, saying only, "Here." She took it and began to read, sitting down and looking intently at the words.
Finally she spoke, "Ma's a healer, and so is Viggo. She'll be fine. You can go, but I'll be staying here a little longer before I visit Battle Creek. I have things to do."
"Like what?" he asked blandly, irritated at her indifference.
"Business," she said, "my business. I can catch a lot of snakes now while it's still cooler and they're slower, and that means I can make more money for my land."
Ajnin bit his tongue, because something (probably the gods, he figured) told him not to say anything, and he really wanted to say something. So he nodded and turned around to head back to Chang Khu before he could change his mind.