Aura (4 page)

Aura woke with the first signs of light and tried, without
success, to shake a feeling the something was not as it should be.  She looked about in confusion, in an attempt to figure out what was wrong, only to discover that she was no longer in her underground cave.  Or if she was, it was not how she remembered it.
A thousand questions assailed her consciousness as she looked about in confusion.  Where was she?  Had she gone to the wrong site, or gotten lost in the darkness that she had ran through the night before?  She gave the matter a few moments as she sorted through her memories, then as she finished doing a visual scan of the things about her.  She decided that she could not have made any errors.  The contents of this cave belonged to her as they always had.  The cave, however, was not the same place that she remembered.
Rising she moved to inspect her new abode.  The top of the cave, when she poked at it with a stick, seemed solid, and the sunlight streamed in from an actual opening off to her right.  Yesterday, the light had come from overhead, and there had been no openings leading into the cavern.  The sound of water, which had been absent the day before, drew her out of the cave to investigate the outside surroundings.
About thirty yards away from the cave a small waterfall cascaded from between two large boulders.  Aura decided she would check it out later.  In the meantime, she wanted to continue to investigate her living quarters.  Her subconscious mind was telling her that something was wrong.  The landscape was not the only thing that was not as she remembered it was everything, the very atmosphere that surrounded her.  Sooner or later she would figure it out.
The sounds of an animal fighting and struggles deep within the recesses of the cave were the first things Aura heard as she stepped through the entrance.  The sounds were followed by a sharp yip, as she followed she realized they were running deeper into the cave system than where she had been.  The scruffy looking, half starved body of a wolf lay dead within the coils of Roger's body, while he concentrated on swallowing one of the two pups.  Aura ran to the rescue of the remaining pup, and almost got bit by the poor frightened creature.
The young wolf was so frightened and was acting on pure instinct, striking out at anything that moved, nor would he have stood a chance of surviving on his own against Roger, though he might have tried.  She gathered the plump soft ball of fur into her arms and calmed him with soft words of comfort, as she held him close to her.  Eventually the pup settled, with little whimpers, and Aura sighed as she decided to keep him.  She was unsure how she would manage to do it, not with Roger stalking him for food, or what her mother would say about her bringing an animal home, but somehow she would manage.  It was, after all, just a baby.  As for Roger, perhaps the snake would find that he did not like the taste of wolf, and stick to his usual rodent type of diet.  That, at least, would solve one of her problems.
Aura watched her pets for a while, until Roger settled down to coil himself up and went to sleep nearby.  Seeing that everything was temporarily settled, she dressed and went outdoors, to find out where she was.  For despite the fact that she seemed to be in similar surroundings, nothing seemed right.
The position of the sun, the layout of the cave that she had made into a camp, the running water nearby, the absence of noise about her, everything was wrong.  Aura stood in front of the cave, surveying her surroundings, as she debated what to do next.  Her investigations had to be done in a systematic manner, one that wouldn't lead her in circles.  She headed for the small waterfall.  It would create a basic point of reference, one which she could recognize readily and which would announce its presence from a distance.
She made her way cautiously, not knowing what to expect and not wanting to be seen.  There was a feel of late spring in the air.  A slight breeze carried the sweet scent of the season with it, the smell of fresh earth and blossoms.  It served to confuse Aura further, for it was summer, not spring.  She ran her hand through the water of the pond at the base of the falls and found it cold to the touch.  It reminded her of how cold she was becoming herself, and she returned to the cave for a coat.
The wolf cub woke and as Aura donned her jacket, she watched him as he whimpered, then wobbled to his feet.  He shook himself, and stretched as he yawned, before weaving its way over to her.  Aura smiled, captivated by the sheer puppy antics of the animal.  She had never had a dog before, something she could really love, and she worried about how she would keep him.  She sorted through her supplies for a while, until she found something that they both could eat, and after they had, she made her way back to the pool.
There were actually, as she found out, two pools.  One, the larger of the two, lay behind the boulders on the higher ground, feeding the falls.  The other lay beneath the cascading water, as a sort of catch basin.  The water then ran off in a stream, heading to wherever it went.
Aura knelt by the edge of the uppermost pond to scoop up some water in her cupped hands.  She had been amazed by the clarity of the liquid.  There were no signs of oils or chemicals, which often covered the rivers where she lived.  She remembered how she used to think the compound beautiful, as it formed rainbows in the water on sunny days.  She had found, however, that the oil in water made it undrinkable.  She took a tentative mouthful of the pond water, and closed her eyes in appreciation of the purity of the taste.  Who said, she smiled in thought, that water did not have a flavor.  She drank her fill, then rinsed off her face, before returning to her explorations.  She made a sling for the pup and saw to her own personal hygiene before setting off.  The pup, she decided, she would take along with her.  All things considered, it was probably the safest thing she could do with him.  Roger was not going to enjoy a second pup type meal while she could prevent it, he could take care of himself while she was gone.  Even asleep, she had found, most people tended to find his size intimidating, and left him alone.  Aura smiled in amusement as some of the myths and stories she had heard about snakes of his size crossed her mind.  Some of the fabrications had almost been enough to make her laugh.  People could be so gullible about the simplest of things.
Walking through the surrounding wood, with the pup and a lunch stored in a sack, Aura marked her trail so she could find her way back.  She was thoroughly convinced by now that she was no longer in the place where she had slept the night before.  The terrain around her was different and the forest, where there had been none before, was green and lush.  The land looked young and fresh and so alive.  Nor was there the sensation of history that there had been before.  History, her inner senses told her, had yet to be written here.
Aura walked for almost six hours before encountering any true forms of civilization, and even that wasn’t much, just huts in a clearing.  There were no visible means of transportation, or what she considered permanent dwellings, and the stench emitted by the hovels was overpowering.  Having observed the living conditions, she decided to return to the cave, to think over what she had discovered.  She had to accept the fact that she was no longer home, which presented a new set of problems, but she had no idea what to do about it.
Where was she?  How in the world had she gotten here?  These questions were primary in her mind.  Her secondary concern was about obtaining a future food supply.  Sure, she had a good short-term supply of edible products, so she would not be immediately pressed on the matter but the question would have to be addressed in the not so distant future.  In the meantime she would have to keep an eye on what food was available, for her pets as well as for herself.
Aura remembered the old cook who had served as both friend and mentor, and silently blessed her patience, as she recollected the hours she had spent with her.  The woman had taught her about herbs and spices, the culinary, as well as the medicinal qualities in each one, and how to use them to their best advantage.  As luck had it, she had been an attentive and apt student, believing that no knowledge should be overlooked, in case it could be used to save a life at a later date.  The cook had encouraged her in her hopes and dreams of becoming a doctor.  She had also taught her how to cook.  Cooking would be an immediate and important factor in her life, she needed to cook to eat.
As Aura had not met anybody on her explorations, she jogged on her return to the cave, lost in her thoughts, as she sought to make up for the time she had spent looking over the village.  She had wanted to get back to the cave before dark, and the sun was descending already.  She stopped when she heard the whinny of horses, and the sound of male laughter near her pond.
People!  Should she make herself known?  No, perhaps that was not such a good idea under the circumstances.  What a joke, she had no way of knowing what her circumstances were.  What if they were not friendly?  She had to admit that she was very vulnerable to attacks of any type, for she had no knowledge of any form of self-defense.
With a stealth she had leaned by sneaking about the house trying to avoid her mother and step sisters, she made her way up a nearby tree, where she could watch and listen, to the men below.  This was a way she could learn more about the new environment about her, and the people who inhabited it.
The men were dressed in heavy leather, cloth, and a type of medieval chain mail, the latter covering their upper torsos.  Aura remembered seeing pictures of such artifacts in history books and museums of ancient times, and wondered about people wearing such items now.  Could this be a movie set?  No.  She dismissed that particular thought.  She had traveled too far for that scenario to be the case.  Movies did not encompass six hours of walking in one direction.  So who were these men?  Where was she?  She glanced over to the massive horses, which had carried the men, and felt that just perhaps, she had been wise to hide.  These men, whoever they were, looked like warriors.  Taking a moment she noticed their weapons, which were visible not only by their sides, but attached to their horses, and they were as primitive as their costumes.
She edged closer, to hear what they were saying to each other, wondering as she did whether she would even begin to be able to understand what they were saying.  To her surprise she found she could, although it took a lot of concentration to do so, for they spoke a crude, guttural form of English.
"They raid again along the Eastern shores, where they do not meet any serious resistance."
"They are not supposed to though, are they?
The first man laughed at that, and, refusing to incriminate himself further, changed the subject, for this was not a time for trust or confidences, this was a time of war.
"I hear you have a new lady love."
"Yes, but not for long, I tire of her already.  She clings and is beginning to speak of words of love."  The man gave a snort and sneered.  "As if I could ever love one such as her.  She is no more than a peasant.  Perhaps, being a friend, you would consider taking her off of my hands."
"It will not be necessary.  If things keep going the way they are, you will be in a war soon, and she will turn to someone else more willing to bend to her will, and to bed her."  The man chuckled, then added.  "Besides, you know I have little or no use for mistresses."
"Well, it is not because you do not have an appetite for women.  Your reputation, when it comes to sexual promiscuity is legend.  The poor mamas at court are at wits end to know what to offer you to settle you down."
"That is because they are becoming desperate to hide their own wantonness.  I would have been approached more than once, if my reputation with my blade would not have been better known than my womanizing."
"True, your dexterity with your blade is well known, but the rest I had heard nothing about."
"Nor will you repeat any of it.  I do have a maid in mind to take as a wife, and in time, I will approach her brother for her hand."
"Her brother and not her father?'  The man puzzled, then exclaimed: "Signi?  You seek to court the incomparable Signi?  Thorn would cut your heart out if he knew you lusted after her."
"Not if I did so within the bounds of matrimony.  That would make it acceptable, even for the great Lord Thorn."
"It is risky, even the High King respects and seeks the Lord Thorn's counsel.  He is no man to play for a fool."
"I agree, he is a dangerous man, but I am determined to deal with him in an open and honest fashion.  It is the only possible way I can hope to win her hand and live.  Signi is loyal to her family and their code of honor.  You must admit, she is a beauty and well worth the effort."
"She has a dowry large enough to attract any suitor she wants, and they say her brother has promised her free choice.  She will choose only a man she can love they say.  Nor is the Lady Signi anyone's fool, as for the rest, I am eminently lovable but enough of this.  It is time we moved on if we expect to make the next town by nightfall.  I have no intention of staying in this town.  The people here are too suspicious of strangers."
"They also have been informed of the raids, nor are we all that far away.  I cannot blame them for their wariness."
As far as Aura was concerned, the men had long over stayed their welcome, despite their lesson in language.  She was stiff from maintaining her perch in the tree, she was hungry as she had not eaten since morning, and she was beginning to feel chilled because of the setting of the sun.  She could think of nothing, other than getting down so she could make herself something to eat and review what she had learned.  She had a lot to think about.
To Aura, who was used to the finest of modern conveniences, the town she had seen was no better than a cluster of mud huts and hovels, and she was appalled at the living conditions.  To her the cave was much preferable.  She realized that she was going to have to be careful not to be seen.