I stared for a moment and then came to my senses and rushed over to the man. I knelt and reached out my hand to touch his head, but I suddenly pulled back when I saw his skin. It looked very leathery and tough, almost like... tree bark. His hair also looked strange. It almost seemed like it was in many big strands. The only thing I could think of was braids, but who ever heard of a man wearing braids?
His overall disposition was very dark-toned and I was surprised. Most of the folk from my village are of the Ariaz race, which is light and can not stay in the sun often. The Ariaz are often considered weak. (Of course, we can function fields and crops well enough.) Most of the four kingdoms are dominated by the Charcns, a powerful and handsome race that sport an earthy shade. I've heard stories that Charcns have a fragrance of newly fallen rain about them, and that one Charcn woman will make any man swoon with just a flick of her hair.
I've never seen a Charcn warrior. Only Old Pete who used to travel about in his youth and who now sits in front of the tavern fire (mostly in a woozy stupor) has said that he supposedly walked with one to the capital city. Of course, not many people in the village believe him. Everyone here are a close to home type folk, and a gossipy bunch at that.
Was the man in front of me a Charcn? I wondered. He would be greatly welcomed to the village; that is, if he ever awoke. I had heard his breathing and it sounded steady, so I was sure that he was not dire need of medical attention. Why was he sleeping? I bent down and pulled one of his eyelids up. The iris of his eye was a clear and startling crystalline blue. His eye started to focus, and then suddenly both eyes blinked rapidly and he shot up from the ground. He immediately started to bound away.
"No, wait!" I called after him. "I mean you no harm!" I scrambled over shrubs in pursuit.
The man turned his head slightly and looked back at me, running not so fast. Suddenly his face paled and he staggered.
"Are you alright?" I cried, catching up with him.
His overall disposition was very dark-toned and I was surprised. Most of the folk from my village are of the Ariaz race, which is light and can not stay in the sun often. The Ariaz are often considered weak. (Of course, we can function fields and crops well enough.) Most of the four kingdoms are dominated by the Charcns, a powerful and handsome race that sport an earthy shade. I've heard stories that Charcns have a fragrance of newly fallen rain about them, and that one Charcn woman will make any man swoon with just a flick of her hair.
I've never seen a Charcn warrior. Only Old Pete who used to travel about in his youth and who now sits in front of the tavern fire (mostly in a woozy stupor) has said that he supposedly walked with one to the capital city. Of course, not many people in the village believe him. Everyone here are a close to home type folk, and a gossipy bunch at that.
Was the man in front of me a Charcn? I wondered. He would be greatly welcomed to the village; that is, if he ever awoke. I had heard his breathing and it sounded steady, so I was sure that he was not dire need of medical attention. Why was he sleeping? I bent down and pulled one of his eyelids up. The iris of his eye was a clear and startling crystalline blue. His eye started to focus, and then suddenly both eyes blinked rapidly and he shot up from the ground. He immediately started to bound away.
"No, wait!" I called after him. "I mean you no harm!" I scrambled over shrubs in pursuit.
The man turned his head slightly and looked back at me, running not so fast. Suddenly his face paled and he staggered.
"Are you alright?" I cried, catching up with him.
