If ever a dream I've dreamed,
I dream here all alone.
I dream of things revealed,
Of happy hearth and home.

I make up castles in the air
Filled with voices that I love,
Feet pittering here and there,
Always stay, never rove.

Why are my dreems so sweet?
A hazy image with no face,
Children I may never meet,
Little house, cozy place!

If I wed my dreams will be reality,
No matter what face or home,
No matter what I see.
Oh! If it will ever come!

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, ARIA WAS TAKEN IN BY THE TOWN’S physician, Cad had followed the town’s sheriffs the whole way to the physician’s house. His hands kept shaking and he cursed every time he’d ever fumbled for an arrow. Aria, Cad wondered. How could she have learned all of those fighting techniques? She’d never shown me those… But then again, why would she? Cad glanced at Silas who was walking nervously next to him.

I.
How you tilted your head skyward
and the sun filtered
over your freckles
I've never had such a
beautiful day.

II.
How I have loved you
with every step you have taken
even when the breathing
got to be too much for you
How I have forgiven you
when you have brought me down
with your tight jaw and sometimes
self involved disposition
How I have missed all the good days
but they are gone and we won't
get them back
that's okay.

Chapter Ten

“GIVE HIM SOME SPACE!” Iris said, pushing her way in. She looked at the man carefully. A long thin cut, spilling blood was on Julius’s head and his arm was slightly burned. His face looked so peaceful, as if he was finally at rest.

“You’re not going to give up on me that easily,” Iris whispered. “Pika, go get my satchel!” The boy rushed to her tent, with its singed edges and smell of smoke. He retrieved the satchel and returned it to Iris.

“Here,” he said.

Chapter Nine

AS CAD AND IRIS RETURNED TO THE CAMP, Alaric was, of course, running around in a circle like a rooster with a missing head. As soon as he saw the two come out of the trees, Alaric ran up to them, hugged Iris close to him and glared at Cad.

“What were you two doing in there? Answer me!” He demanded.

Cad began, “I—”

“Cad was only teaching me how to shoot properly, and in turn I taught him which herbs were the best for headaches and cuts.”
Alaric scoffed and shook his head. “And why would a healer need to know how to shoot an arrow?”

Chapter Eight

WHEN DAWN CREPT OUT OF NIGHT’S ROBES, SO DID IRIS. She crawled out of her tent and looked about the camp. All of them were sleeping. She turned and watched the slumbering Bear and noticed that the new one was missing. Maybe Stilicho sent him out to hunt, Iris thought. She slung her satchel over shoulder, tightened the laces on her otter furred boots and snuck her way into the depths of the forest.

I. Uncertainty
so you’re telling me no
but when back then
i know that
yes is ridiculous
so are chances
but i really thought
never mind

II. Tipping
rose petal colored
fingernail polish spilled
on tiled aqua floor
stained it the color
contrast she called it
it was her own
abstract decoration

I. Regress
I wanted her to turn around
So I could see her face
Confirm in real life
My biggest suspicion
That she was as pretty as she looked
In his pictures
I had met her once, before all of this
She was pretty then, but I hadn’t paid this much attention
I recognized her by her red-gold hair
Neatly curled and tapering down near her waist
Her voice was sweet and smart
I wanted her to turn around
But then she followed him out the door.

Chapter Six

CAD SLEPT AROUND THE BURNING FIRE with the other men that night before leaving the next day early in the morning. He was aroused by Julius kicking a live coal at his hand, giving it a slight burn. He only reduced his screams by rushing over to the cooking quarters and dousing the left over porridge all over his hand from the day before. When he returned the men stared at him in shock. Cad finally looked over at his appearance and realized that he looked like a bear caught with honey.

Chapter Four

IT TOOK HIM THE REST OF THE DAY to get to the border of the hunting territory. He scavenged for berries and holly trees before dark and gorged down roasted squirrel. He made a bed out of fallen willow branches and a bed of mossy rocks. Cad thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep until his eyes gave away out of weariness.