Chapter 3: The encounter
Lyra scrutinised the two boys with her large, dark eyes, in which there was a mixture of curiosity and compassion. She seemed to sense their fear and exhaustion, for a soft smile played around her lips.
'You must be hungry and tired,' she said, 'Come with me. My village is not far from here.'
Seth and Eldric exchanged an uncertain glance. They were strangers in this land, driven from their homeland, hunted by the Kik. Could they really trust this girl, this Niut?
But Lyra's gaze was so open and honest that Seth summoned up all his courage. 'Thank you,' he said. 'We would gladly accept your offer.'
Lyra nodded and turned to go. 'Follow me,' she said and disappeared between the trees.
Seth and Eldric followed her hesitantly. The forest seemed less threatening now, the shadows less deep. Lyra's presence seemed to have a calming effect on them, as if it would dispel the fear that had accompanied them since the attack on their village.
After a short time, they reached a small clearing with a few huts made of wood and clay. Thin threads of smoke rose from the chimneys and mingled with the scent of herbs and freshly baked bread. A small stream babbled in the centre of the clearing, with children playing and laughing on its banks.
The sight of this peaceful place filled Seth with a longing that he could not name. A longing for security, for a home, for a life without fear and violence.
Lyra led them to one of the huts, where an older woman with kind eyes and silver-grey hair was already waiting for them. 'Mother,' Lyra said, 'this is Seth and Eldric. They need our help.'
The woman smiled warmly at them. 'Welcome,' she said. 'Come in and rest. We'll give you something to eat.'
Seth and Eldric stepped into the hut. Inside it was dark and cool, a soothing contrast to the bright sun outside. A fire crackled in the hearth, and the scent of roasted nuts and dried fruit filled the air.
The woman, who introduced herself as Maeve, handed them bowls of steaming soup and freshly baked bread. Seth and Eldric ate greedily; they hadn't eaten properly for days.
While they ate, they told Maeve and Lyra about the Kik attack, the destruction of their village and their escape. Maeve listened to them attentively, her eyes full of sympathy.
'I'm sorry for what happened to you,' she said when they had finished their story. 'The Kik are a cruel people. They sow fear and terror wherever they go.'
'Why do they do that?' asked Eldric. 'What do they want?'
Maeve sighed. 'The Kik strive for power,' she explained. 'They want to subjugate the other peoples, conquer their lands. They are masters of deception and intrigue, they stir up mistrust and hatred between the peoples to weaken them.'
'But why are they attacking us?' asked Seth. 'We're just a small village, we haven't done anything to them.'
'The Kik attack anyone who stands in their way,' said Maeve. 'They want control of the whole continent, and they'll stop at nothing to achieve their goal.'
Seth felt the fear rising in him. If the Kik were as powerful as Maeve claimed, then there was no hope for them. They would forever be on the run, hunted by an enemy they were no match for.
But then he remembered the strange feeling he had felt after the attack, the tingling in his hands, the bluish light. Was that perhaps a sign? A hope?
'Maeve,' he said, 'you said the Niut were healers and seers. Can you tell me what happened to me? Why did my hands glow?'
Maeve looked at him intently. There was an expression in her eyes that Seth couldn't interpret. A mixture of surprise, curiosity and... something else, something he couldn't put his finger on.
'That, my boy,' she said slowly, 'is a long story.'