TCoE: Suam Novam Vitam 1.3

Praegressus

By Mel E. FurnishPublished 2 years ago • Updated about a year ago • 5 min read

Photo by Amy Reed on Unsplash

Suam Novam Vitam 1.3 Praegressus

praegressus - moving on, progress, development, evolution.

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******

Trinth narrowed his gaze as his ears scarcely caught a low thud from outside. He scrambled outside of the little cabin he had built as his eyes darted around the night. Spring came, and with it, nature around him buzzed with life. Within a few moons in the summer, he'd be turning twenty-four. The winter of his twenty-second year of life passed much differently than he hoped for, unfortunately leading into the twenty-third year lost to imprisonment.

Trinth dreamed of starting a farm and pursuing a life away from the thick of civilization. He settled into the land outside of Tavar village, near the border to the desert. Cythia helped Trinth build a small cabin and a barn nearby for sheep. As they started to add to the farm with various crops and animals, Cythia gradually became more and more distant.

Where the trees and prairie gradually dried out to the dunes, Trinth caught Cythia wondering often. His curiosity buzzed as thoughts tumbled through his mind. Despite his escalating interest, he kept the questions to himself.

When Eva struggled to sleep one night, she kept begging for Cythia in her strange coma state. The little girl was half-awake, half-asleep, on and off, repeatedly drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness. Trinth feared it was a side-effect of the trick he used previously before to make her pass out.

The sithmora cult often used the same method to subdue her. Trinth's heart sank as he felt guilt grind at him. He quickly found and followed tracks Cythia left after he used his powers to help Eva sleep. Under the darkness of the new moon, he barely caught sight of her with a man under the stars. His eyes narrowed as he witnessed them engaging in a deep conversation.

He frowned as shame overwhelmed him for spying on her. He knew she deserved a private life beyond their mission. Trinth turned away as he lifted his chin, convincing himself that it was time to finally open up and allow a new personal life to start for himself.

******

As the waxing crescent moon crept over the cloudy sky, Trinth exhaled a breath he had been holding. Apprehension swarmed his system as he prepared to push open a saloon door into a bar attached to an inn within the heart of Tavar. He gradually stepped inside to hear hardy laughter and yelling. Drunken men at their tables playing various games and gambling while drinking continued about their business as Trinth approached the counter.

A woman with blonde hair smiled as she dipped her head to him. "What would you like?" She asked as she locked her blue gaze with his.

Trinth smiled as he sat down and shrugged. "I'll let you pick; I'm just wanting to relax for a while," he answered with a grin. She chuckled and grabbed a bottle of a dark liquid and poured some into a glass.

Unexpectedly, a woman bumped into him; her long black hair and soft blue eyes glistened in the candlelight as she faced him. She blushed as she lowered her head and avoided making eye contact with him. "I'm so sorry, I'm so clumsy," she sighed as she shook her head.

"Kathia, you're just always buzzing with energy; you can't help it," laughed the woman behind the counter as she handed Trinth his drink.

"Mari, you're just as clumsy as me sometimes," Kathia jibbed. She smiled at Trinth and shook her head.

"My name is Kathia; what's yours?" She beamed as she locked her eyes with Trinth's. His heart skipped a beat for a second as he caught a gleam in her eyes that sent his head spinning.

"My name is Trinth; it's a pleasure to meet you, Kathia," he replied as he nodded with a smirk, his gaze locked with hers.

Kathia blushed as she grinned back at him. "How long are you going to be staying in Tavar?"

Trinth shook his head as he took a sip of his drink. The bitter taste ripped through his body as he grimaced. "I just built a small cabin and a farm here."

Kathia's eyes widened as she sat down next to him. Mari winked at her as she walked away. Rapidly a yell escaped Mari's throat after a nine-year-old blond boy with blue eyes darted by, hollering a battle cry with a wooden sword swaying in his hand. Trinth glanced over his shoulder to see the boy chasing a small six-year-old girl across the inn as she started to scream with joy and slight fear.

"Kaynen!" Mari snapped as she rounded up the kids to a back room within the large building.

Kathia shook her head as she giggled. "Her kids are pretty sweet. A little loud and chaotic, but sweet. I'm sure they could burn off some of that energy on that farm," she glanced into his gaze again and caught him staring at her.

Trinth took a gulp and shook his head as it surged through his system. "If you want, we could burn some energy there with a little hike. I love to walk the woods and hills; they're beautiful," he proposed with a grin. "You can meet some of the lambs," he offered with a chuckle.

Kathia's eyes lit up as she laughed. "That sounds like an amazing adventure," she paused as she stood. "We better get to it," she urged as she smiled.

******