Chapter 2

Hey folks, sorry for the week delay, my computer had problems with the internet, and I kinda forgot about this blog as well.
Well, lucky you guys! Two posts in two days cause tomorrow is Monday! :D
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A little while later they reached the edge of the village. Aryanna looked around, everything was still.
“We might have to wait a bit Kalya, it seems like everyone is still working,” she said. Kalya stuck out her lip a bit.
“Can we check his home?” she asked. Aryanna shrugged then nodded.
“We might as well, it can’t hurt,” she said. Kalya smiled happily. They moved between the huts heading to the one James lived in. Once they reached it Kalya stopped and crouched at the opening.
“James? Are you inside?” she called. No one answered. Kalya sighed and looked up at Aryanna.
“I thought he was always here by now, I don’t want to have walked all this way not to see him, I miss him,” she said sadly. Aryanna crouched and hugged her.
“He should be here soon, would you like to play a game?” Aryanna asked.
Kalya shrugged her thin shoulders. “What game are you thinking of, Arya?”  Kalya asked leaning on her sister.
Aryanna shrugged. “Anything you would like to play? I will not play the game where you hide and I search for you, not in the Nobles territory,” she said. Kalya nodded seriously.
“I understand, would you like to play catch me if you can?” she asked. Aryanna smiled.
“You never get tired do you?” she asked rhetorically. “Alright, let’s go away from the village so we are not playing around here,” she said standing up. They went back through the village and out to the open. Aryanna looked around, checking all around. Kalya smiled at her and tapped her hand on Aryanna’s leg and laughed.
“Catch me if you can!” she shouted and took off running. Aryanna waited a moment and then chased after her, not running as fast as she could, knowing she would over take Kalya too soon.
“I’m catching up Kaly!” she called. Kalya shreaked with laughter and tried running faster. Aryanna decided she had run enough and with a laugh over took her and scooped her up.
“I caught you!” she said laughing. Kalya laughed and struggled to get free.
“Let me down Arya! It’s my turn to catch you!” she said. Arya swung her down suddenly, eliciting a surprised cry from the girl that soon turned into a laugh.  Aryanna tapped her on the head.
“Catch me if you can!” she said as she started jogging backwards, still facing her sister. Kalya chased after her and Aryanna had to turn and actually run to stay away from her sister. She slowed her pace so that her sister could catch up. Aryanna looked towards the village as she was running and saw some people there, moving wearily amidst the huts. She didn’t recognize any of the people and so she kept staying away from Kalya.
“Arya! Not fair, you are bigger than me, I can’t catch you!” Kalya called from behind. Aryanna smiled and slowed down a bit. Putting forth a little extra energy Kalya tackled Aryanna. With a shout of surprise Aryanna tumbled to the ground, Kalya on top of her. Aryanna looked up from her back, Kalya sitting on her stomach, grinning. Aryanna caught her breath and mock glared at her sister.
“You little fiend, you only said that so I would slow a bit,” she said. Kalya grinned wider and nodded.
“And you fell for it!” she said triumphantly. Aryanna laughed and let her head fall to the grass.
Kalya got off of Aryanna’s stomach and laid next to her in the grass, still smiling happily. She turned her head to look at Aryanna.
“I’m glad you are not angry any more, I like you much more when you are happy,” she stated softly. Aryanna looked at her.
“I am happy right now, besides the fact that I have been tackled and thrown to the ground by you,”  she said poking Kalya. Kalya laughed and wiggled away from her.
Aryanna sat bolt upright as a shadow fell over them, she clutched at her .
“What are two girls like yourselves doing lying in the grass?” a deep male voice asked from above them. Kalya jumped to her feet and threw herself at the person.
“James!” she shouted hugging him. He laughed and swung her up into his arms hugging her back.
“I have missed you also Kaly,” he said.
Aryanna smiled and stood up, brushing herself off. James reached out and hugged her sideways with one arm, the other arm occupied with holding Kalya. She returned the hug silently.
“How have you two been?” he asked.
Aryanna shrugged. “We have been alright, not good, not terrible,” she said. He looked at her with a slight frown on his face. She met his eyes then looked at Kalya, who was still holding onto James. He nodded, understanding. Kalya put one hand on the side of Jame’s face and made him look at her.
“What happened to you? Why is there a bruise on your face?” she asked seriously.
“It’s nothing, I fell today,” he said after hesitating a moment. Aryanna looked at the bruise then at him, knowing that he was lying. She frowned, thinking, but didn’t say anything more.
“Do you want to play with me?” she asked smiling. He hesitated then shrugged.
“What would you like to play?” he asked. She thought for a moment.
“I don’t know. Maybe, well, maybe I should just play alone while you and Arya talk,” she said then nodded firmly. Aryanna looked at her with her eyebrows raised in surprise, her mouth open a little. She shook her head at Kalya slightly. Kalya just paused a moment then cupped her hands around James’ ear. He chuckled as she whispered something to him.
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do, no promises though,” he said seriously to her. She giggled and nodded.
“What did you say to him, Kaly?” Aryanna asked warily, looking at them both. They looked at her and smiled, but didn’t answer her. She shook her head.
“Alright, let me down,” Kalya said squirming slightly. James set her down gently and she skipped away. Aryanna watched her skip off a head. She turned to James.
“What did she say to you?” she asked raising an eyebrow. He just shook his head, smiling.
“What did she say?” Aryanna persisted. James looked after the bobbing form of the little girl running ahead.
“She said that I should cheer you up, because you were angry earlier, and I was good at making you happy,” He stopped. Aryanna laughed lightly.
“Ah that child,” she said. He nodded and chuckled.
“Do you want to walk?” he asked.  
“Sure, Kalya is getting a little too far ahead,” she said. They started walking, side by side.
“How have things been for you?” Aryanna asked him. He hesitated.
“Same as always, nothing has changed, still in the kitchens, still getting hit when I do something wrong, or when someone else does something wrong. Or when my master’s sons is looking for a laugh he decides it’s funny for him and his friends to hit me around,” he sighed, touching a bruise on his face. “Still trying to get a better position in the kitchen, but they seem to like hitting me more than letting me work,” he said lightly. “But I don’t want to talk about me, how are things for you and Kalya, truly?” he asked, touching her shoulder lightly.
“We are alright, like I said before. Things are getting harder though, there is much hostility towards us, I don’t want Kalya hurt, but we have no where to go, and besides, the Woodlands are our home also. I’m sick of this way of living, everyone squabbling in the dirt, fighting to keep their homes and food,” Aryanna said angrily. James put a hand on her shoulder.
“You’re getting angry again, Arya, you have that look,” he said gently, using Kalya’s nickname for her. Aryanna nodded and took a deep breath.
“I’m sick of this living also, I understand your anger, I’m angry also, we can’t do anything at the moment,” he said softly. Aryanna nodded again.
“I know, and that is what frustrates me the most, I can’t do anything about anything that affects me and my sister,” she said. He nodded, not saying anything, knowing that words wouldn’t  help. They walked in silence. Both watching Kalya as she ran about, talking to herself. The little girl stopped and ran back to them.
“Now you both look upset or angry,” she said as soon as she ran up and saw their faces. James smiled slightly at her.
“I’m sorry, I know, I was supposed to make her laugh, huh?” he said. Kalya looked seriously at him and nodded.
“Yes, you said you would try,” she said, looking at him with serious eyes.
He crouched and put his hands on her shoulders.
“I will try my best,” he said. She looked at him with narrowed eyes.
“Don’t make her angry again,” Kalya said seriously.
James nodded with equal seriousness. “I won’t ma’am, I promise, even if I have to poke her until she is not angry, I will not say another thing that brings about her anger,” he said gravely. Kalya smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
“Good, she laughs the most when we play catch me if you can,” Kalya said.
James smiled. “I will keep that in mind, that’ll be a last resort though,” he said chuckling. Aryanna watched the two of them with a smile on her face.  Kalya ran off after pointing one finger at James and looking meaningfully at him. Aryanna laughed softly.
“I find the way she worries about you sweet,” he said. She nodded.
“She makes me laugh, with out her I don’t know how I would keep going,” she said. He nodded.
“She is good for you, and me,” he added.  Aryanna looked at him with a smile.
“You know what she told me today?” she asked. He shook his head.
“With her I couldn’t guess, what did she say?” he asked.
“She was talking about you on the walk here, wondering if you would play with her and chattering away asking me questions. I did my best to answer her, when I was done answering her she looked seriously at me and said ‘I love him’  and then she ran away,” Aryanna paused. “Don’t tell her I told you,” she finished.
James laughed. “That is sweet, I love her also, she is like a little sister,” he said watching Kalya’s antics up ahead of them. Aryanna smiled. James drew a breath to say something but didn’t. Aryanna looked at him but didn’t press, when he looked at her something in his eyes looked different for a moment then he looked away. They walked in silence for a moment then
Aryanna looked at the sky and sighed.
“It’s going to be getting to dusk soon, we are going to have to leave soon,” she said. James nodded. “Not yet though,” he said. She looked at him with a bemused expression on her face. James didn’t look at her, just put two fingers to his lips and whistled loudly. Aryanna looked at him with a slight frown on her face, wondering what he was doing.  Kalya stopped abruptly far up ahead and faced them. After half a moments hesitation she ran back to them.
“What is wrong?” she asked as soon as she reached them.
“Nothing, you were getting to far ahead, you know that worries Aryanna,” he said looking sidelong at Aryanna, who put her hands on her hips. Kalya giggled and nodded.
“Sorry Arya,” she said she started to skip away again but James held her.
“You said you wanted to play right?” he asked. Kalya nodded eagerly.
James tapped her shoulder with a hand. “Catch us if you can!” he shouted boyishly and sprang away from Kalya. Aryanna looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to start a game with her.
“Run Arya!” he called. She looked back from watching him to Kalya and saw her coming at her. She dodged her sister and took off laughing. James slowed down a bit and let Kalya catch up, while feigning running hard.
“Look out, if she catches up to you she isn’t going to stop with just tagging you, she’ll probably tackle you like she did me,” Aryanna called out, too late. Kalya put on a burst of speed and tackled James. He stumbled but didn’t fall. He laughed.
“Thanks for the advice Aryanna,” he called as he swung Kalya up, and threw her over his shoulder.  Aryanna stopped running and came back to them.
“Here, hold her still,” she said and reached up and tickled Kalya’s ribs. Kalya kicked her legs and shreaked with laughter. James winced as her foot kicked him in the stomach, he clasped her ankles in one of his hands, trapping her legs and keeping them from flailing.
“Put me down! Stop tickling me!” the little girl called breathlessly.
“Did you hear something James?” Aryanna asked innocently as she continued to tickle her sister. James swung around and looked about.
“No, did you? I think I might hear a little girl, but I can’t seem to place where she is,” he answered grinning.
“You fiends, you are teaming up on me! Put me down!” Kalya shouted, and trying to struggle away from James.
“No, I still don’t think I heard anything,” James said. Kalya groaned and sighed. She relaxed suddenly and hung limp over his shoulder. She propped herself up with her chin in her hands.
Aryanna laughed at the picture of acceptance of her situation. Kalya just turned her head and looked at Aryanna, shaking her head.
She waited a moment. “James, please put me down, I’m going to throw up on you,” she said calmly. James laughed and jostled her. “You wouldn’t do that to me,” he said. Kalya didn’t say anything.
“But, since you said please, and I don’t want to risk it,” he swung her down and placed her on the ground. She darted a few paces away.
“I wasn’t actually going to throw up, I just wanted you to put me down!” she said laughing triumphantly.
“I thought you were serious. And you said please, those were good enough reasons for me!” he said smiling.
James looked over at Aryanna and winked. She hide a smile and nodded seriously at Kalya.
“Liar,” Kalya said to James. He laughed and nodded. Kalya flopped to the ground and laid there smiling at no one in particular. James sat down on the grass next to her and she sat up and leaned on him. He put an arm around her, and they looked out across the field silently.
Aryanna stood looking at them for a moment, a smile playing about her lips. She shook her head and checked the sky. She sighed and stepped over to them. She crouched next to them.
“Kaly, hun, I’m sorry, we need to go. It is getting late, we shouldn’t be walking in the Woodlands late at night. If we don’t leave soon we won’t get there until late,” she said. Kalya rotated to look at her, a sad look on her face.
“I don’t want to leave James though,” she said sadly even as she rose obediently. James moved to a crouching position, so that his face was level with hers. He hugged her.
“Arya is right, it is not safe for you both traveling at night. I wish you didn’t have to leave though, I will miss you,” he said holding her shoulders and meeting her eyes. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder. He hugged her resting his chin on her shoulder. Kalya drew a deep breath and stepped back. James stood and hugged Aryanna.
“Be careful and take care of the both of you,” he whispered to Aryanna. She nodded as she hugged him back briefly then they both stepped back.
“Bye James,” Kalya said waving.
“Bye Kaly, I hope to see you soon,” he said. She nodded and smiled. Aryanna gave him a half wave.
“I don’t know when we will be back to see you,” she said. He nodded.
“I understand, I’ll miss you two, it was too short of a visit today,” he said.
“I’ll miss you James, I love you!” Kalya said then she flushed and looked away. Aryanna looked at him with a smile and he grinned at her. Aryanna shook her head and set off towards the Woodlands. Kalya gave him one more little wave and fell into step a little behind Aryanna.
“I love you too! Both of you,” he called, adding the last part in a lower tone. But Aryanna still heard him, she turned her head a bit in surprise then faced forward again, not wanting to look back. James watched their figures retreating, heading towards the dark band of the Woodland realm. His eyes stayed mostly on the squared shouldered, straight backed figure leading the way through the long grass.
 After a while of walking behind Aryanna, Kalya trotted a couple paces and walked next to Aryanna, slipping her hand into her sisters. Aryanna looked down in surprise at her, but the little girl was looking back over her shoulder. Kalya sighed.
“He looks so sad and lonely standing there all by himself still,” she said.  
“He is still standing there?” Aryanna asked as stopped and turned around, looking out across the vast expanse of open field, the wind brushing the long grass and making it sway.
“Yes, see?” she said. Aryanna nodded and frowned.
“Doesn’t he look sad and lonely?” Kalya asked looking up at Aryanna. Aryanna nodded silently and turned around again. They had almost reached the edge of the Woodlands. They walked together silently, Kalya’s little hand in Aryanna’s. When they reached the fringes of the Woodlands Kalya slid her hand from Aryanna’s and turned around one more time. She jumped up and down waving towards where she thought James would still be standing.
“I don’t think he can see you any more Kaly,” Aryanna said smiling. Kalya stopped jumping and cupped her hands, placing them in front of her eyes, trying to see better. Aryanna paused a moment then walked over to the little girl. She picked her up and hoisted her onto her shoulders.
“Can you see him still?” she asked. Kalya leaned forward, raising her hand to her forehead and squinting.
“I think so!” she said. Aryanna struggled to keep her balance as Kalya waved her arm energetically back and forth. She wriggled with delight a moment later.
“He saw me! He waved back!” she said loudly. Aryanna laughed.
“Ready to come down?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m ready,” came the reply. Aryanna reached up and swung her down. They walked into the Woodlands together again.
Halfway through the Woodlands Kalya started slowing down a lot. Aryanna stopped when she noticed that Kalya was farther behind. She walked back to her.
“Are you alright?” she asked worriedly.
“I’m tired Arya, and I miss James already,” she said, her voice catching a bit. Aryanna smiled sadly and nodded.
“I miss him too, come on, you can make it,” she said taking her sisters hand and walking again. After a little while of walking slower Aryanna stopped.
“Whats wrong?” Kalya asked tiredly.
“Nothing,” Aryanna said crouching and turning so her back was to Kalya. “Here, climb on, I’ll carry you the rest of the way, you have done well today,” she said.
“Thanks Arya,” Kalya said as she wrapped her arms around Aryanna’s neck. Aryanna reached back and hooked Kalya’s legs through her arms and stood up. She adjusted Kalya’s weight and started walking today, Kalya rested her head on Aryanna’s back and shoulders.
“Did you enjoy today?” Aryanna asked. Kalya nodded.
“I was glad to see James, I did enjoy playing while you two talked, and I was happy he played with me also, that was nice, I like to make him laugh,” she said, her voice quiet but happy.
“Good, I think he likes it when you make him laugh,” Aryanna said.
“Did you have a good day also? Did James make you happy?” Kalya asked moving her head to one of Aryanna’s shoulders, resting her chin there.
“Yes, I was happy today, and yes, I suppose he did. It was good to talk with him again,” Aryanna said.
“I’m glad, then he fulfilled his promise to me,” Kalya said moving her head again to rest it sideways on Aryanna’s back. Aryanna laughed quietly.
“Why did you make him promise?” She asked. She felt Kalya shrug.
“I thought you needed someone else to cheer you up besides me. Besides, I know that he likes being able to talk with just you sometimes. Since you hadn’t been able to talk to him for a while I thought I’d leave you both alone,” she said, her voice dropping lower and lower as she started falling asleep. “Besides, I think that he has feelings for you, Arya, I can tell from his eyes and the way he looks at you,” she stated quietly. Aryanna stopped suddenly, then started walking again.
“What? No, I doubt it Kaly, I doubt it,” she said shaking her head.
“No, I think I’m right,” Kalya said, her voice not much more than a mumble.
“And you have so much experience in this matter do you, sweet?” Aryanna asked. The only answer was a soft snore. Aryanna shook her head and chuckled softly as she continued walking at a good pace.