Red Skies: Tavon's Night of Fright

Tavon woke up to the sun in his face. He blinked slowly, his body still as stone. All night he had been crying and shaking in fear. When sleep finally had come, it was full of soldiers with magic air cuffs chasing him, calling him a thief. Water touched his dry lips but for a moment his mouth seemed to forget how to move. “Please Tavon, you need to drink son.” His father’s familiar voice broke through the haze and the little boy lifted his head a bit to accept the cool liquid. Even though they lived in the poorest part of the Capital, the magic that kept the waters clean and crisp flowed throughout the city.

Trogan’s breathing was shallow but steady as he carefully supported his son’s head as Tavon drank more and more water. The day before, the little boy had come running into to the camp, crying so hard it was a wonder he could see at all. Through the gasps and wails, his father and friends had been able to gather that Jayson had been arrested in one of the marketplaces during the afternoon. Word spread and eventually it was learned that Jayson had attempted to pickpocket a member of either the royal family or someone else of high importance. Some rumors said he was one of the nephews of the King while others said he was a man of nobility whose family was very close to the King. No matter who the man was, he was of great respect and one does not steal from them without paying the price for the crime. The boy would not be killed, but likely sent to school where he would be worked very hard and hopefully reformed. It was an efficient system and Trogan hoped that it would help Jayson get on the right path. But to a small boy who had witnessed that scene and Jayson’s fear first hand, it was a better lesson than any kind of reform.

Tavon stopped sipping the water, now sitting up and holding the empty cup himself. “Are you ready for some breakfast? Katana gave us some fruit and bread for us to eat this morning.” Tavon nodded slowly, glancing toward the door. Trogan understood, knowing that the boy was afraid he would be taken away, too. “Son, no one is going to take you away from me, OK? Now, let’s eat!” Tavon stood up slowly to where the food was stored in their small hut while his father weakly crawled back to his bed, coughing quietly under his breath.