Chapter 5, (Not yet named.)

Chapter 5 1

It was not long before Thank and Dineth came upon what used to be her kingdom. It was crumbled and broken. Blood stained the streets. There were still fires burning. Nobody was there, except the dead. Not even a single dog ran in the cobble stone streets. 2

Dineth Jumped of her horse and fell to the ground. Thain quietly climbed off his horse and walked over to her.  Thain pulled off his rough leather gloves and touched her shaking shoulder. He gently took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Saying nothing, Thain pulled both horses and held on to Dineth’s waist. As they walked through the tumbling city, Dineth silently cried. 3

It was late evening; the sun was starting to set. The colors in the sky looked just like a painting; it was perfect in every way. The orange sun was peaking out between the mountains in the west. Above the sun, there were pinks and purples, and above that, there was the pale blue of the afternoon sky still lingering behind the sunset masterpiece. The masculine mountains partly surrounded the city, blocking the view to the sea, but also acting as a giant wall from enemy attacks.4

All of a sudden Dineth pulled away from Thain and ran over to a body laying on the side of the road. Dineth knelt next to the body and began sobbing and beating her fists against the ground.5

“No…no…no.” she said over and over again.6

Thain walked over to her and sat down next to her. Dineth wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up and stared at the body.7

“He was my father.” She said in a quivering voice.8

Thain stood up and held his hand out to her. Dineth ran her fingers down  the dead kings face then held on to his hand and pulled herself up. Thain shook his head slowly.9

“He needs a proper burial,” Thain sighed. “I can’t leave you alone here, so you and I need to leave right after we bury him.”10

“He needs to be buried in the Ancient Tombs outside the city, on the mountain side,” Said Dineth softly.11

“No time! We need to bury him quick and get out of here!” Thain said.12

Dineth took a deep breath13

“Fine,” Dineth said as she took the reigns from Thain and walked over to the other side of the king.14

Thain knelled on the ground and bowed his head to show respect for the dead king, then he rapped his arms around the body. Dineth grabbed a hold of her father and helped Thain get him on her horse. Thain got on her horse right after they pushed the king on. 15

“I will hold on to him so he doesn’t fall off.” He said. “Could you find something to dig the hole with?”16

“Yes,” she said softly. 17

Dineth walked into what used to be a building. 18

One wall was half there, and part of the ceiling had caved in. There were back chards of old chairs scattered all about in the room. A barrel of food was knocked over and burned. Puddles of wax from melted candles, decorated the floor. 19

Slowly she walked across the dark room until she stumbled over pick axe laying on the ground. She picked it up and ran out the door.20

“This will do,” Dineth said while resting the axe on her right shoulder. 21

Dineth climbed on Thain’s horse, and gave it a slight kick. 22

Soon they were out of the City in no time and in a field. Slowly they rode to the top of a small hill and got off their horses. Thain started digging the hole as soon as Dineth handed him the Pick axe.  23

By midnight, the whole was made. Thain climbed down into the damp hole and gently pulled the kings body in. Quickly he jumped out and helped Dineth push the mound of dirt into the king’s grave. 24

Dineth stared at the grave with empty eyes, she was no longer crying. 25

“Are you going to say anything? You know something to remember him by?” Thain asked.26

“No,” she answered. 27

Thain nodded. He picked up a wild flower and laid it on the mound. Then he picked up two small sticks and tied them together with some rope he had in his pocket so that the sticks made a cross like shape. Slowly he knelled on the ground and pushed the small cross in the dirt at the head of the grave. 28

Dineth picked up another wild flower and placed it beside the other flower. Then she turned to Thain and said softly,29

He walked over to his horse and dug a small hole with the pick axe. He then pulled out a blanket and his bota. He put the blanket in the hole and poured the water on it. 30

After the horses drank the water, Thain picked up the blanket and helped Dineth on her horse. 31

“Let us go,” Dineth said. 32

Thain nodded and climbed on his horse.33

They started their long trip to the hidden land of Falco.34

Thain looked back to the ruined castle, then to the small grave.  He turned his attention to Dineth.35

“It is going to be at least two days to get there,” he told her. 36

Dineth did not respond, she did not even look at him.  She didn’t care how long it would take. All she thought about was her father. 37

The moon was beginning to fade behind the dark clouds that were filling the sky. 38

Thain looked up at the clouds and sighed. He knew that the clouds would result in rain sometime in the near future. 39

He took out the small powder box and his bota, he dropped a pinch of powder in his bota, closed the cap and shook it up. 40

“Do you want some?” he asked.41

Dineth shook her head no. 42

Thain shrugged and drank the powdery water.43

The dead of night, was getting ever darker, and the faint sounds of a third horse was getting more clear with every step.44

© Lauren Carpenter 200545

My Hidden Life46