[alaklondewen]

Caeran

The young soldier had spent most of the morning with the Earnil, and he currently was sitting just inside the door of the boy’s room while Earnil sat with his legs crossed on his bed playing quietly with his model ships. Huan was curled up at the boy’s feet with his head down on his paws and his eyes half shut.

Caeran enjoyed his time with Earnil. The boy had a wonderful spirit that always made the soldier smile when he was near. However, guarding the heir triggered his fatherly yearnings. Lorna had been heavily on his mind lately, and he wished his service was ending soon so he could be with her and eventually have a child of his own.

A soft tap at the door brought Caeran out of his thoughts, and he stood and opened the door letting in a young maid who was bringing Earnil his lunch. She carried a small tray and set it on the short table in the corner of the bedroom, and then left immediately through the door Caeran still held open for her.

Caeran watched Earnil slowly slide off the bed and saunter over to the table apparently not overly excited about the lunch. As the boy slid into the chair and began pushing the food around on his plate, the guard for the first time really looked at the small table and chair that was made especially for Earnil. The table was smaller than a standard adult table. Around the rim of the tabletop, a line of small ships had been hand carved in the dark wood. The chair sported the same ship only larger on the back. Unconsciously falling back into the chair at the door, Caeran pictured his future children. He would make a table like this for them. Flowers would be carved into his daughter’s table, and ships or horses into his son’s. He could see each of them sitting there playing with their toys and then looking up telling their father they loved him. Smiling warmly, lost in his fantasy, he rested his head on the wall behind him.

“Caeran! Caeran!” The boy’s shrieking voice snapped Caeran back to reality. “What’s he doing?! What’s wrong with him?!” It took a moment for the soldier to fully understand what Earnil was talking about. Then he noticed Huan was under the table and Earnil’s plate was sitting before him half eaten. The hound’s eyes were glazed, and his body was convulsing. The boy was crying and shouting at the hound and at the young soldier who was at a loss of what should be done. Caeran pulled Huan out from under the table and tried to keep the dog’s body still. He firmly held the hound’s midsection while turning him on his side.

Earnil was still in hysterics running around and jumping in one place crying out, “Don’t let him die!” and “Can’t you do something?!” Caeran wished he could help Huan, but he didn’t know what was wrong, and it had all happened so fast, he hadn’t time to really consider it.

“Come on, boy. Stay with me. Stay with me, Huan.” Caeran whispered in the dog’s ear as he leaned over its body putting his cheek on Huan’s head. Huan had stopped shaking, but his breathing was shallow and slow. “Earnil, come here. Pet him…keep him stimulated.”

The boy fell to his knees and rubbed and scratched the hound while his tears dripped from his nose and chin. “Don’t leave me, boy. I love you, don’t leave me.” Earnil said this over and over until he was crying so hard he could barely choke out the words. Huan exhaled a long, slow breath and didn’t inhale again. “No! NO!” Earnil shouted and then collapse upon the hound sobbing loudly.

Caeran sat back on his heels. His hands were shaking, and his eyes were wet as they searched the floor and the room. His gaze finally landed upon Earnil’s half-eaten lunch. Could it be? The soldier suddenly felt ill and he didn’t want to think of the possibility that the food was…

[ August 24, 2003: Message edited by: alaklondewen ]