Day 4 - Scene 2

Fifteen minutes later he opened the door to the burrow and stepped out into the orchard. Clear blue sky, chirping birds and a playful morning breeze welcomed him among the blossoming apple trees.

Enar groaned and raised a hand to shield his eyes. Too much light. Too much noise. It would be so much easier to go back into the cool shade of the burrow and sleep the day away. Easier, but not right. He'd said he'd be down. They'd saved food for him. They'd even sent their little ones away so he'd be able to eat in peace and quiet.

Going back to bed was not an option.

His hat though, he remembered, was an option. That would work. He turned and went back into the burrow to get it.

Last week, just for this trip, he'd bought a brown, old-man style, flat cap. Not that he ever wore a hat normally – he preferred sunglasses – but he'd figured the cap would give him a bit of that rustic flair he'd seen on the pictures in the brochure. It had lain forgotten in his luggage until now.

With a wry smile Enar fished the cap out of his suitcase and put it on. He'd never look as at home here as Rolf or old man Hasse; hat or no hat. That wasn't what it was about. It took more than old-fashioned head gear to make a man of the hills. He knew that now. Still, a mirror would have been nice.

Stepping out of the burrow again he nodded to himself. Much better. Pulled down all the way over his eyebrows the cap kept the worst of the brightness away. The birds still chirped, and his head still ached, but he would just have to live with that. He couldn't keep his hosts waiting any longer. Taking a deep breath he squared his shoulders and set off down the path towards breakfast.

As he neared the pump he thought about stopping to apologize for last night, but decided against it. He'd feel stupid, and the sylph probably wouldn't hear him, or care, and, well, he'd feel stupid. Also, he wasn't quite clear on what he'd actually done.

Maybe he could bring some extra water next time instead? Good idea. He nodded to himself. That'd work. Passing the pump he looked the other way and walked a little faster.

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Continued in Day 4 - Scene 3.

Back to Enar's Vacation.