Heart in the Sky

"C’mon May!” Snow cried, running along the sidewalks of their small village, Hidden River. Vine tendrils with blooming flowers covered the buildings, trees grew in and around the rough, broad, stone houses, their green canopies shading every inch of the village. Nearly everything was blanketed in a lively, flowering wilderness.

“I’m coming Snow!” May bounded after her, slipping in between two oak trees growing on each side of the sidewalk. She ran her fingers through the cool, green, moss hanging from their branches. It was noon, and the sun was shining through the canopies, leaving the leaves’ shadows dancing on the streets and in the windows, a soft jade light surrounding them and enveloping the village inside it. The trees arched over the streets, lichens and flowers hanging from their protective branches, where people moved and swayed like the river itself. You could smell bread being baked in the bakery, the sweet flower blossoms, and the lovely fruit just waiting to be picked. You could hear the soft gurgling and bubbling of the river that looped around the entire village, and the mellow voices of people speaking. Small animals went about their business, a brightly colored Calico Cat slipped in front of May, squirrels chattered with each other, and the birds lined the tree branches, displaying their beautiful feathers. The soft shadows swayed and frolicked as if they had a life of their own. The breeze blew gently through the crisp, pure air.
Whether it be rain or shine the village was always beautiful. The colors were soft and green and the shadows were never frightening (for there were many shadows).

The trees, covering the village so much that you could not see it from above, seemed to be protecting it with their branches. The calm, sweet smelling, river that looped around the village in a never ending circle hid it from the rest of the world. Anyone on the opposite bank could never see the little village on the other side, could never see all the trees, all they could see was cracked, parched soil. Hidden River was dependent on its plentiful natural resources, and its name described it perfectly. It was a magical and charming little village.

The people that lived in Hidden River usually never ventured beyond the river’s banks. They were powerful, yet peaceful. They were tough, and strong, and beautiful every single one of them, from the youngest to the oldest. Their minds were great, never clouded, deep inside they were in tune with their nature, always following their hearts, always taking the path that seemed right. You could trust every single soul there.

May smiled, she loved Hidden River, and everything in it. She never dreamed of a better life then her own, everyone working in harmony to do what needed to be done, learning arts of all kinds at her small school, never a single hungry person. Little girls skipped to the markets to fetch something for their mothers, or grandmothers, or great grandmothers, or even their great-great grandmothers without a single complaint. The beautiful and unique voices of the people singing songs and whistling softly filled the air.

“May! Hurry! We’re going to be late!” Snow called back to her, she had started to day-dream, and slow down. May quickly hurried her pace, her eye trained on the fleeting glimpses she got of Snow’s light blond hair and her simple violet dress. She approached an old woman walking down the street, she skipped around her, looking back and waving after she had passed, “Hi Mrs. Rose!”

“Hello May!” Mrs. Rose waved, May smiled, then continued to chase after Snow.

“C’mon May! Hurry!” Snow laughed.

“I’m coming!” May sped up, and chased Snow into their home.

“Now girls,” Ms. Robin, their plump, motherly, caretaker, cried “be careful! You wouldn’t want to knock over lunch!” She was spooning soup into two delicate bowls.

Snow and May plopped down at the table, their house was covered in flowering vines and mosses too. A large tree was in the very center, it took up a whole room, and they had named it Twin Tree, because it was actually two very large trees twisted together to form one trunk, it stretched over their house and joined the other canopies, about the height of a grown man above the houses.

“Now you two be careful, it’s a bit hot.” Ms. Robin set the bowls in front of them.
Snow nodded, blowing gently on the soup.

May watched the tendrils of steam curling up from her bowl, she smiled, and inhaled the rich aroma. She took her spoon and slowly started to mix it, until it was cool enough for her to sip.

After a bit Ms. Robin came and sat at the table with May and Snow, she smiled warmly, “How was your day so far at training girls?”

A bit of soup leaked from Snow’s mouth, which was stuffed with vegetables, she indicated May to speak.

May nodded, “So far my team has only worked on battle strategy, but all the other classes have worked on skills, and are even going outside and training.”
Snow was nodding vigorously, before Ms. Robin could get a word in she had swallowed and burst into speech, “All they do is sit in the classroom and draw and come up with battle strategy all day! My team does something fun like target practice and they’re stuck drawing little pictures in the sand!”

Ms. Robin shook her head, “What a shame. That trainer of yours seemed so good too, when I first met him…what was his name?”

May spoke, “Trainer Joseph.”

“Yes exactly…it would seem that he should be letting a group of rambunctious thirteen year olds outside to train instead of sitting inside practicing strategy all day.”

May shrugged, “I just don’t understand it…I mean these guys that came from who-knows-where, offer to give us war training saying that some day we‘re going to need to defend Hidden River from outside influence, our Majesty accepts their offer and they set up that little school, then all the thirteen and fourteen year olds are gathered up and placed in the school to be trained.”

Snow nodded, and continued for May, “and then we’re split up into different classes” Snow paused, making sure that Ms. Robin was getting all this, “and of course out of all of those classes May gets stuck in the one where the teacher is so obsessed with battle strategy that he’s not interested in anything else.”

May sighed, “I wish I was in your class Snow.”

“Well aren’t you going to eventually change trainers?” Ms. Robin glanced out the window.

May nodded, “Yeah, after we reach a higher level our class is split into groups of three and then that group goes to another, way more experienced, trainer.”

“Well at least you have that to look forward to May,” Ms. Robin shook her head, “I’m glad your having fun Snow...it’s getting late, you two should head back to training.”

Snow stood up and took May’s bowl.

“Hey! I wasn’t done!” May followed Snow into the kitchen.

Snow placed the dishes in a large clay bowl to be washed, “Sorry sis, it’s time to get moving!”

“I’ll race you!” May lunged past Snow out onto the streets again, “Last one there is a rotten egg!”