Black Pearl

Part VI

                Siwon stumbled out of his nest. He made his way over to a small grove of trees. He threw himself onto the forest floor in desperation. Taemin. He was all Siwon could think about. His mind full of regrets. His throat tightened and his mouth was dry, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. He hadn’t eaten anything in days. Leetuk, of course, as full of wisdom and sarcasm as he was, had come to him some nights ago.

                Stop feeling sorry for himself. That’s what he had told him. Well, Leetuk still had Minho. Well wasn’t that great for him. He had decided. He was leaving the territory. As he left the clearing, he felt eyes boring into his back. He turned around to find himself face to face with Leetuk.

                “Where are you going, Siwon?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

                “I’m going to the woman who lives in the woods. I’ll find Taemin myself.” Leetuk shook his head and blocked his path.

                “Don’t you trust Minho and the others?” he asked. Siwon sighed. “As our leader, you need to stay here and be with the rest of us. It is your responsibility.” Siwon rested his hand upon Leetuk’s shoulder.

                “And until I return, it is your responsibility.” He turned, leaving Leetuk in awe, jaw agape.

                “B-but Leader Siwon!” he called. But Siwon couldn’t hear him as he made his way through the twisted brush and weaved in and out of the trees.

*****

                He found a twisted path and decided to follow it. Sweat ran down his back as he made his way through the tunnel of thorns and vines. He emerged, hot and scratched up. He sighed in relief as he cautiously approached her cottage. The door to the gate opened, welcoming him.

                Siwon proceeded. The stone walkway was smooth and cool beneath his feet. He peered into the stained glass windows of the cottage. He halted as the cottage door swung open. “Come in, Lycan.” A craggily voice called out. He forced himself forward, despite his instinct to run.

                There was a cozy fire burning in the stone fireplace. There were hand woven rugs covering the sitting area, the passageway between the tiny dining area and the kitchen, and one right in front of the door. Warm reds, greens and blues swam before his eyes. The floors were made of light wood, the walls of dark wood. She led him into a room off to the side.

                Inside the room, the walls were draped in plum purple curtains, swooping up to the ceiling to form a tent-like atmosphere. There were stands of black candles surrounding the small wooden table, giving the room an eerie glow. She sat him down across from the table, and took her own seat. . She wore multiple strands of beads on her head, strung throughout her hair, and on her neck. Her clothes were bright and colorful, like nothing he’d seen before.

                “Leader of clan, I presume?” she asked him. He nodded. She nodded as well. “Thought so. You must be looking for the red headed one, am I correct?” he nodded again. Words escaped him. At the moment, he was unsure how to interact with her. He hadn’t come into contact with humans since he met Kyungsoo as a child. “Don’t fret, dear child. I won’t bite.” She chided, giggling to herself like a school girl. She signaled for him to take a seat.

                “What is it that you need?” she asked, adjusting her skirts. Siwon swallowed hard.

                “I, I um…I want to talk to Taemin myself.” He managed. She nodded.

                “Why do you need him?” she asked. Siwon was puzzled. Wasn’t she a fortune teller? Shouldn’t she know? She smiled.

                “I want you to tell me. If I did all the work for you, you wouldn’t think for yourself.” He nodded. He supposed she was right.

                “I want him back.”

                “Why?” she asked. Siwon thought for a moment. “Do you really love him, or is it because you think you need him?” she asked. Siwon didn’t know how to respond. She smiled kindly. “I’ll help you, but you need to let him decide. Forcing him to come back won’t fix anything. Do you understand?” he nodded.

                “I have no other amulets to give. Instead, I have a spell.” She said, turning to a table of trinkets. She took a silver bowl of orange powder, and a small silver pot of green. A tin of black dust was brought over as well. She took a shallow wooden bowl, and measured out the powder, gently tossing it together. “It will last for a few weeks. Less than the amulet, but enough time to speak.” She said, standing up.

“Winds of Change and Circumstance,

With a bit of luck and happenstance,

Let this being wander out, and search

The world and seek about

A boy who is now lost to him, so that

He may find and help him.”

                The dust itched his scalp and shoulders as it settled. “Now, go! You only have five days until the spell wears off. Hurry, Lycan.” He bowed and left, running through the woods as fast as his legs could carry him.

                As he approached the same spot where Taemin had left him, he looked back. Five days. That’s all he had. He hoped he could find Taemin and bring him back in time.

*****

                Siwon’s feet blistered beneath the hard unforgiving ground. Sharp branches grazed his skin, blood creeping out of the wounds. He was breathing hard as he stumbled down the hill. ‘A little slower,’ he thought to himself. ‘She said five days, not five minutes.’ He stood back up, and kept going.

                He finally emerged, drenched in sweat, small trails of blood lining his arms and legs. A soft wind blew over the field, the tall grass and prairie flowers blowing in the breeze. He looked around. . As he walked through the field, he could see the small city. There was a church bell tower sticking up, like a beacon. As he came closer, edging down the hill, he heard strange calls and shouting. The closer he came, the louder the noises. Siwon covered his ears and backed up a little bit.

                These noises hurt his ears and scared him. How was he ever going to find Taemin in this big, loud place? He sat down in the grass, clutching his ears. A twig snapped, and Siwon’s heart stopped. He looked through the tall grass, slowly bending down the fragile fronds and flora.

                He saw a thin, lanky boy with honey colored hair that came down to his shoulders. He was thrown down by two thuggish figures. One had a hold of his arms; the other was pressing his stomach down with his foot. Siwon crept closer. The man whose foot was on the boy’s torso pulled out a knife. Siwon pounced.

                The other thug fell back, crawling backwards through the field until he got the nerve to stand up and run. The other’s head was nestled in a headlock, while Siwon kicked him to the ground. He turned him over, and began repeatedly punching him in the face.

                The boy quivered in fear. There was a wild man beating up the men who had just tried to rob him. While he was grateful, there was just something unsettling about being saved by a wild man. Or someone who had gotten obscenely high and taken off his clothes. Either way, he should put a stop to it before he got himself hurt, or killed the other guy, whichever came first.

                He put his arms around the man’s broad shoulders. “It’s okay, I’m fine, stop hurting him!” he cried. Siwon spun his head around. The boy’s face was inches away from his own. His big brown eyes glistened, full lips graced his beautifully contoured face. It annoyed him for some reason. But, he let him go, standing up as he removed the boy from himself.

                “You freaks!” the man shouted, stumbling as he ran off, following what trail was left by his friend. Siwon turned to the boy.

                “You’re, fine now?” he asked. The boy nodded, giving Siwon a look over. He was tall, with piercing eyes and bronze skin. He averted his gaze as his eyes traveled downward. His face flushed a bright pink.

                “Um, thank you, sir. Um…ah, wh-where you headed?” he asked. Siwon nodded over to the city.

                “Over there, I am looking for Taemin.” He said bluntly. The boy scratched his head.

                “Well, uh, you can’t go into the city, ,” he signaled to him, being . Siwon raised an eyebrow. “You stay here, and I’ll get you some clothes.” He said, backing away. “Stay here, okay? I’ll be right back.” The boy turned and ran, turning back just once to wave at him.

                Siwon sank down onto the grass, folding his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. He didn’t know was ‘clodes’ were, but if he needed them to enter, he would wait.

*****

                The boy returned. He hoped these would be big enough. He scanned the area, looking for the man. He found him, lying in the grass asleep. He quietly approached him. He had long lashes and thin lips. He bent down, getting an even closer look. The man’s eyes shot open, and the boy flew back in surprise.

                “S-sorry. I brought you the clothes.” He said, handing him a navy shirt and a light pair of jeans and an old pair of tennis shoes. The man looked at them, puzzled.

                “What do I do with these clo-des?” he asked. The boy laughed.

                “Clothes. You wear them.” He said, pulling the shirt over the man’s head. He seemed to panic as he pulled it over his head and helped him put his arms through. The boy waited a few moments for the man to adjust. “Here, stand up.” He held out the pants. His face flushed as he rose, revealing himself. He ed the pants and them into his hands.

                “The metal part goes in the front. I’ll help you once they’re on.” Siwon stuck his arms into the pant legs.

                “I’m done.” He said, rather confused. He wasn’t sure if he was doing it right. The boy turned, stifling a laugh.

                “No, on your legs!” he said, taking them off his arms, and signaling for him to put a leg through one of the holes. He stumbled in, holding onto the boy’s small shoulders for assistance. The boy had him pull up these ‘panst’ and he helped him affix them to his hips.

                “Um, there you go.” He said, scratching his head awkwardly.

                “Thanks.” Siwon took a look at these ‘shoos’ that the boy brought. He wondered what they were for. The boy took them away, untied them, and placed them on his feet. He looped the cords of cloth around. Siwon didn’t like how they enclosed his feet. “What are these things for?” he asked, wiggling his feet.

                “They’re shoes, for your feet. To protect them from stepping on things and extreme heat and cold.” He explained. Siwon nodded, and headed off. “Hey, where are you going?” he asked. Siwon rolled his eyes.

                “To find Taemin.” He said, continuing on the path.

                “Who is that?” the boy asked, breathless from trying to keep pace with him.

                “A member of my clan. It is imperative that I find him.” He said. The boy nodded.

                “Well, my name is Heechul.” He said, extending his hand. Siwon stopped, looked from Heechul’s hand to his face, and kept walking. Humans and their weird greetings. “Wait, do you even know the way?” he asked. Siwon turned his head towards him.

                “Do you?” he asked. Heechul shook his head, and stood right in front of him.

                “No, but you might need my help. I know people around here, I could help you.” He suggested. Siwon sighed.

                “Very well.” He grabbed onto Heechul’s arm and dragged him along as he made his way into town. Heechul couldn’t help but blush as they made their way down the hill and into town.

END OF PART VI