A Flame in The Wind

Chapter 4 - Amber

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I could feel the blood gushing from my feet as I continued to run through the forest, stepping on every sharp object available. I'd gone through these woods countless times, but the feeling in my chest was making everything blur together. I felt as if I would never find my way out, or even find who Ean had asked me to find.

By the time I'd decided I could run no longer, my lungs and legs were screaming at me to stop everything and lay on the ground. Only for a few moments, I told myself.

Even with my body sweating from the exertion, the cold began to creep upon me under my thinly covered self. Good heavens, if mother could see me now in nothing but my nightdress in the middle of the woods, she'd probably have a deathly fainting spell. Mother.

My mind was utterly split at the thought of what occurred tonight. I knew there would be no chance of looking upon my mother's face again. A fact of which I couldn't decide whether I felt elated or solemn towards. I gulped down the freezing air of the night, letting the feeling in me engulf me wholly. I was a monster for having very little qualms over the thought of her absence. Should I be angry? Why were things so complicated? Honestly, I was sad that I felt no despair at all.

I disregarded the thought as I sat back up. Perhaps if I walked my worries would disappear. At least that's what happened in all the books I'd read where the heroine would know the answer after a walk through the woods. Though as I picked up my pace, the night seeming to grow colder by the minute. I hadn't realized how scary nature could seem during the night. There were far too many noises that deserved a look in their direction to make sure I was not being followed.

Surely, I was just being paranoid. Better to be prepared than unaware, that's what James probably would have said. He would be mocking me for my sense of direction that was becoming more and more questionable as time went by. Surely by now, I would have reached the encampment, but it was far too dark to see where I was going or if I'd been passing the same trees this entire time.

I kept walking. Thick fog was beginning to leak onto the path from the lightly swaying trees of the forest, and I cursed myself for not insisting on bringing my robe for better warmth. I'm sure I'd freeze in the oncoming hours if I did not find some type of shelter soon.

I'd made it only a few more yards when I heard movement behind me. Slowly, I turned to look around me, scanning the trees for anything amiss. To my right, leaves were swaying and rustling much too quickly for it to have only been the wind. Either I was going mad or something very big had evaded my sight and hearing.

Breathe

I pushed away from the fear of facing some feral animal with snapping teeth or worse, something disguising itself to not be seen. Waiting to catch me unawares. Or the awaiting hatchet of those disgusting rebels.

Breathe

It was a very slim chance that I would encounter any type of monster or attacker that could have been following me since I'd been running or both, anyhow. Lord, I'd passed through these woods countless times during the day and had seen nothing peculiar besides birds or rabbits.

Breathe

Dismissing it as a trick of the mind, I continued to walk along the path. I vowed that when I'd return to a safe place, I would never step in the woods again. Too many dangerous things happened in the woods.

What would happen if I made it to Ean's friends? He's asked me to trust him, and true to his word he'd gotten me out of the manor, but perhaps this could be a trap of some sort. How would I have known whether the man was trustworthy or not? I was fearful that perhaps I'd taken a wrong turn or worse if that was even possible traveling through the woods with no path. And if I'd taken a wrong turn it would all be my fault entirely and I'd never see James or Simon again.