Unsung Desire (Book 1)

Chapter 2

Dihnya was an unpopulated diamond-shaped world before Cahzlik and Ohrlu mated. They were neither friends nor lovers but they were usually fated to meet up in this beautiful place. After all, it was a resting place for the deities who were sometimes tired of their respective duties and needed undisturbed breaks.

                                                                                            ֍֍֍

I woke up feeling light and yet alone again. It was bright outside but the sun was nowhere to be seen. It was because of the whiteness outside. The temperature was freezing as usual but at least inside, it was warm enough. I could only guess it was already mid-day.

I did have a good night sleep after I took the medicine Mahk gave me. I went out of our dwelling to wash my face before I ate my breakfast, which my parents left for me on the small table. After eating, I went out to look for my sister and my parents. They were at the river, which was frozen. A considerable big hole was a meter away from them as they sat there, fishing. Each of them held a fishing stick with a string connected to it.

I took in a deep breath of the fresh cold air, feeling happy that I wasn’t having the urge to cough anymore. The medicine did an excellent work overnight like magic!

Upon approaching my family, I slipped on the ice. They all gasped when I hit my bottom on the hard and frozen ground. Dahk got up, about to help me, but I raised a hand.

“I’m okay!” I said, wincing in pain though.

I kissed them all on the left cheek when I joined them.

“Have you seen your new robe yet?” Dahk asked, which made my eyes go round. His white even teeth showed when he smiled.

Dahk was in his late thirties, tall and bulky. He always made our tiny dwelling a smaller place whenever he was inside. He had a prominent square jaw and thick, long beard—maybe the width of my small hand. His lips were full and red, which Mahk loved to kiss. My twin sister and I would always giggle whenever she did that. Aside from kissing him, Mahk loved to peer into his blue-violet eyes and touch his high-bridged and straight nose.

On the other hand, Mahk was the same age as Dahk, had an oval face, green eyes, thick and wavy lashes, perfectly arched eyebrows, small pert nose, thin pink lips and long blond hair that she always kept loose. I once heard that Dahk said he loved her creamy skin and he loved to caress her beautiful pale cheeks that would naturally go pink whenever she was outside the cold.

“I have a new robe?” I was excited to hear about the gift. “That means I have three now!”

“Not only you but both of you,” Dahk said, looking at Sekkiz who just grinned. “They’re my birthday gifts for you both. It’s tomorrow, and I was thinking we could get away from here and enjoy it. I will show you something.”

“Oh, thank you, Dahk!” I jumped with joy and hugged him from the back and kissed his cheek again.

“You must have caught a lot of koshille to be able to buy expensive robes for us, Dahk!” Sekkiz remarked with a huge grin.

“I got a dozen of them yesterday, that’s why I came home late,” he informed us, smiling. “I have to buy you something pricey. After all, it’s my twins’ birthday.”

Dahk was one of the best hunters in Sorradan. But no one had seen his whole face except us, his family. He always wore a cloth over his face whenever he left home. He said it was to protect our identities. I wondered why though. I asked our parents once but they said it was for the good of us all.

And yet here, we were free to not wear a cloth over our face. Anyway, Sekkiz and I went to the town only twice. We gathered enough attention because of our hair that escaped from the cloth we used to cover it. Mahk almost panicked as she tucked our hair under the cloth. She brought us home right after she bought some necessary things like our food. All the while, she looked over her shoulders. She was only able to breathe easily when we got back to our dwelling with no one tailing us.

“Where are we going, Dahk?” I asked, still hugging him from behind while he was seated on a small flat log. Mahk and Sekkiz also sat on a circular log with the height of one foot or so, to not sit on the ice.

“A surprise,” he answered.

“Oh! Oh! I got one!” Mahk shrieked excitedly when a fish took the bait.

Dahk stood up to help her pull the big fish that its head was as big as my father’s hand.

Sekkiz and I gazed at each other, giggling.

I thought it was one of the best days that I was together with my family.

***

Sekkiz and I had the same color of thick robes that Dahk gifted us. It was yellow-orange, made of the thickest wool, which was soft, comfy and warm. It smelled like Dahk and Mahk. Dahk was citrusy, while Mahk was sweet. It was really good to smell their scents on our clothing. It was like we were being embraced by our parents everytime.

Dahk wore his black robe that he bought last full moon, while Mahk also used her newest one, which was bought three moons ago—Dihnya had four moons in each month with one full moon each week.

It was nice to see our newest clothes on us, not the usual shabby ones.

“Put this on and tuck in that hair well,” Mahk said, putting a scarf on me and Sekkiz. Mine was light blue, while Sekkiz’s was light green—our respective favorite colors.

“But we colored our hair, Mahk!” Sekkiz protested.

“I know. But who knows if it’s going to get washed away somehow?” Mahk insisted. “You didn’t wash your hair yet, both of you. It’s been two days!”

Sekkiz and I giggled. “But we do smell like vanilla,” my twin sister pointed out.

“Right,” Dahk agreed, laughing. He pinched each of our noses. “Come on. You all ready now?” A makeshift bag was slung on his shoulder diagonally, as well as the bow and arrows.

We all nodded with a big smile on our faces. I noticed Mahk adjust the makeshift bag she had on, and she picked up the bows and arrows. We went out of our dwelling, and then Dahk closed the door tightly. We walked about some meters away when Dahk stopped to look back at the tree that we’d been living since Sekkiz and I were babies.

“What is it, Dahk?” I asked innocently.

He put a hand on my head, as well as on Sekkiz’s. A small smile, seemingly regretful, appeared on his lips.

“You’re now ten. I think it’s time for you to know where you really came from,” Dahk murmured.

Sekkiz and I looked at each other, blinking. Then we stared up at Dahk.

“You mean… we’re going to our real home now, Dahk?” Sekkiz asked. She sounded excited.

I looked back at our small dwelling place with a heavy heart. It contrasted to the whiteness of the surroundings. The sweet trees were not far away from it, with their abundant golden orange fruits hanging on their branches. I used to play with Sekkiz around the trees. We would climb and drink the saccharine nectar of the sweet trees, too. Sometimes we would race climbing on them. Sekkiz always won of course. She was always stronger and faster than me that I sometimes envy her. If only I wasn’t sickly and weak…

Dahk didn’t answer but just smiled. He took our hands in each of his and started to walk again. Mahk was beside me, smiling at us toothlessly.

Our breaths made a fog with each breath as we followed a trail up the mountain. Sekkiz and I had never been on this part. I knew it was one of Dahk’s trails where he would go hunting for koshille. I only saw a koshille a couple of times before. I always loved to look at its rainbow-colored triangular horn. It was very pretty. The light would play its colors like they would dance in every movement the animal made. It was amazing!

Surrounding us were the white ground covered by thick snow and the gray or black bare trees, as well as trees with leaves, fruits or trunks of different colors. There were trees with green or red barks, with either purple, red-orange or green leaves. There were also fruit trees such as the sweet tree and others. No one would ever starve in this part of Sorradan.

There was a flowing stream not far from us. We crossed it, with me riding on Dahk’s back while Sekkiz on Mahk’s. They put us down after we crossed it. Then, we continued to walk for hours. I had no idea how long it was.

“Aren’t you tired, Sertti angel?” Mahk asked with concern when we stopped to eat around mid-afternoon.

“No, Mahk,” I replied, c*****g my head. Right. I didn’t feel tired although this was the longest journey I’ve ever had. I looked at her and she smiled.

“That’s great, my Sertti angel. I think the medicine really worked!” she said happily. “It will protect you from getting colds or flu from now on, Kumssu said.” Then she turned to Sekkiz. “Sekkiz dearie, here. Eat more.” She gave my sister a piece of meat, which my sister stared at. “You have to eat meat, too.”

She was forced to take it and eat it. I grinned at my sister who usually loved vegetables and fruits.

“Remember, you and Sertti are one and the same, alright?” Dahk said to us gently after we ate. He gave us each a tube container, which had water in it.

Our parents always said that line but my sister and I exchanged glances and nodded.

We drank the water while our parents gazed at each other. They seemed tense. But I had no idea why. Maybe because we were going home, to our original dwelling place? I wondered how it looked like though.