Ring of grass
Kol was young. Maybe 14, walking in the woods with a bow and quiver across his back. This was when he decided he hated long hair. It was pulled back away from his face with a piece of leather. This would be his first act on his coming of age birthday; he might even shave it off. He hunkered down by a little stream. A little stream that was flowing peacefully to the ocean. He took off his bow and quiver laying them on the ground before sitting down himself. The water grabbed ahold of his thoughts.
A force pushed him from the back, he was face first in the stream. This stupid hair. The piece of leather was gone. He couldn’t see to fight. To defend himself. Now he was upset. Before he could get his hair out of his face, he was in the stream again. His feet had been knocked out from under him and he was on his butt.
He was desperately trying to wipe his hair out of his face. When he looked up, Kessa was standing in front of him. She was glowing. Her eyes. Her skin. All he could do was sit in the stream with his fingers over his mouth staring at her. With a smile that stretched the full length of her face, she extended her hand to help him up.
“Kessa one, hair zero.” He huffed as he accepted her hand. “I want my hair like yours.”
She was still smiling but had a slightly confused look, “white?”
He smirked, “no short.” As he stood on dry ground, water poured from him. “It will be dark soon. Do you think we could stay the night out here?”
“Marcus will think it’s part of your survival training.”
They both worked collecting wood and built a fire. A beautiful stag pulled their attention upstream. “Dinner?” Kol questioned.
“It’s much too big.”
Kol was crushed. “You or I have the skills to kill him.”
“It is not about skill. It is about size. That is more food than we can eat.”
“We can take him back to the barracks tomorrow.” Neither of them spoke. They just sat there watching the magnificent creature get his fill of water. When he moved away Kol asked, “what shall we eat?”
“Let’s put your skills with that bow to work.”
“A couple rabbits? Coming up.” He didn’t kill a couple; one big one.
As they ate, he finally spoke. “Sorry about earlier, I was distracted. Yesterday, I went by the palace and neither of my parents were there. Abraham says they are working on important matters. I never get a straight answer out of him. Double talk and ‘royal speak’.”
“May I ask ‘royal speak’?”
“That’s what I call the situation for when I can’t get a real answer out of anyone. Knowing her, she’s off with another man.”
“That’s a powerful accusation, my prince.”
“We are alone.” She raised an eyebrow. “You called me prince. You never would have done that if anyone would have been within voice range.”
“You do pay attention.” She smiled.
He smiled a sideways grin. “I’ve never seen the man up close. I’ve watched a man leave the bell tower and the cove. With her soon to follow. Promise me someday that we will be better parents.”
“God hasn’t laid it on my heart to have children, my prince.”
He laid back on the ground resting on his elbow. “You must admit, you and I would make beautiful children.” She raised an eyebrow. As he leaned back up, he extended his hand to her. With great caution she extended hers to meet his. He placed a ring made of grass on her finger. “I’m going to marry you some day.”
She blushed, “do I get a say in the matter?”
“I’ve got it all planned out.”
With her eyes down cast she replied, “tell me what you have planned for us.”
“Don’t you ever dream about such things; marriage, family, the tomorrow?”
“The tomorrow is in God’s hands.”
“I am going to marry you some day.” He laid back in the grass looking at the stars.
As Kol woke, his big pile of cushions came into focus.
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