The caregivers clan pt2
The cavern pulsed faintly with a serene luminescence, the gems glimmered softly in shades of violet and blues. The three reos stood in the pool of water, his surface smooth, unmoving once they had settled in it. The pool had some sort of energy to it, they could feel it if they focused on the buzzing on their skin.
Cailu stood at the edge of the chamber, his purple eyes inscrutable as he observed the scene. He would not join them, for he was a haedian. They did not know it, but he was of the caregivers' clan, so he had no reason to take the test.
Jeon-e, Mer, and Valentine stood in the water, their reflections merging with the faint shimmer of the water. Suddenly, the water started to bubble, and the the glow from the gems above them intensified, casting light over them and the water, literally bathing them in light.
At the edges of the pool stood the handmaids, which watched the trio with quiet interest, their expressions grave and considering. They murmured among themselves in hushed tones, their voices hushed and their attention on the three vayrons.
As the water began to ripple, the memories unfolded, painted on the water for everyone to see.
The forest was vibrant, alive with the hum of cicadas and the rustle of leaves in the summer breeze. Jeon-e, Mer, and Valentine were pups, with Jeon-e being a 15 years old while the other two were 11 and 10, their legs awkwardly long and their movements a mix of clumsiness now that the growth spur was coming. The three of them were racing through the undergrowth.
“Mer, wait up!” Valentine called, his voice tinged with worry as Mer darted ahead, his paws kicking up sprays of fallen leaves.
“You’re too slow, Val!” he teased, glancing back over his shoulder with a mischievous grin.
Jeon-e trailed behind them, not because she was slower but because she was keeping an eye on them and could do it better if she was further apart.
Eventually, they reached a sunlit clearing, a perfect patch of grass and wildflowers surrounded by tall trees. Mer flopped down in the center, his chest heaving as he caught her breath. Valentine collapsed beside him, while Jeon-e looked around to check if they were alone before placing her basket down near the two.
“Do you ever stop worrying?” Mer asked, rolling onto his back and staring up at the sky.
Jeon-e didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she also sat down and said, “Someone has to watch out for you two. You’re young and don't know how to be safe.”
Mer laughed, his tiny tail wagging. “You should join us when we run, you're not that much older than us.”
Jeon-e ignored him and opened the basket and Mer looked inside eagerly, checking out the sandwiches an fruits Jeon-e had prepared. She had to take care of them, and that meant feeding them and keeping them from using too much energy too soon. They ate the fruit first, juice dripping from their chins as they bit into the fresh apples and pears.
“When we’re older,” Valentine said between bites, “we should take a week long trip and check out all the places you've called too dangerous for us to go, Jeon-e.”
Mer’s ears perked up. “What about the city? We could go there too! Imagine all the things there's in the city!”
Jeon-e frowned. “When you're older, we will go to the city. I have my reasons to not let you come with me when i go, you know?”
The memory shifted, the colors blurring and reforming like paint swirling in water.
The handmaids murmured among themselves as they watched. The main handmaid tilted her head, her voice please. “They are all dreaming the same memory.” she said softly.
Another nodded, her gaze thoughtful. “It's unusual, but i think it was a core memory for them.”
“They seem kind,” added a third, her voice tinged with admiration. “They don't seem to mean harm.”
Cailu, standing apart, listened to their words but said nothing. His eyes remained fixed on the pool, though his ears flicked occasionally toward the handmaids’ whispers. He tried to look unaffected, trying to not reveal to the handmaids what outcome he was hoping for. The memory unfolding before him was a window into a world they had never seen, the surface world, and it was something the vayrons would not think about usually, but keep it close to their heart.
The memory reformed, the clearing now bathed in the warm hues of late afternoon. The three vayrons lay sprawled on the grass, napping as they waited to digest their meal. A gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers and made the sun bearable.
“Do you think we’ll always be together?” Mer asked, his voice uncharacteristically quiet.
Jeon-e propped herself up, her brow furrowed. “Why are you worried about this?”
Mer shrugged, looking up at the sky. “Things change. When adults grow up they tend to go different ways. You're already going to the city and leaving us behind”
Valentine’s voice stopped him. “That's not true, she's not leaving us behind. Isn't that right? We will always find a way to be together.”
Jeon-e smiled, but there was a sad note to it. “I'm not leaving you behind, he's right. But i am growing up, and i am older than you, so it will happen that i have to spend time with others and won't be here for you many times when you will need me. That's why i want you two to stay together as much as possible, for as long as possible.”
The memory began to dissolve, the clearing fading into a swirl of light and shadow. The pool’s surface stilled, its glow dimming as the vision ended.
970 words
handmaids
https://www.deviantart.com/reos-empire/art/S-T1-Cailu-16558-1018001366
https://www.deviantart.com/reos-empire/art/Jeon-e-17263-1119400196
https://www.deviantart.com/reos-empire/art/Valentine-17284-1125665856
https://www.deviantart.com/reos-empire/art/Mer-17277-1123141798
Submitted By Nora
Submitted: 1 month ago ・
Last Updated: 1 month ago
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