Blue

The Arrival

The rest of their travels went smoothly. Just trudging all day for the days left was all that was left. Other than falling face first into mud after slipping, no exciting events had taken place. Tallulah could bare the pain of her side because she had gotten so used to it. The tincture was helping and so was the salve. It had scabbed over and while red and puffy, nothing was oozing from the wound. she had been able to escape yesterday in order to rinse out her wraps and rise off her body before reapplying some salve before wrapping herself back up. 

The men smelled...more than usual. 

Her senses were annoying her lately, and her smell had intensified within the last four days. they smelled sour, but one of them had a pleasant aroma under than sourness. She wasn't about to sniff them and find out. Her friendship with Ander had blossomed, and she supposed he'd spoken with Mykel. She understood that there were no secrets between a mated pair. 

She noticed while walking behind everyone towards the end of their days, when she was exhausted and the men would have their own conversations, that something seemed to plague Atlas. He was fidgety, and it had gotten progressively worse since their traipsing among the corn stalks.   

They were to reach the city Tomorrow. Nerves had been flooding her very being, would she stand out? Would they know or perhaps find out her secret...secrets. she was glad that Ander and Mykel knew, perhaps they would train together once enlisted. That was her hope beyond anything else. 

 She would be ever thankful once she didn't have to worry about traipsing through the countryside anymore. This traveling had made her whole body ache and complain, on top of her injuries. The trip would have been more bearable had the wolves not attacked, but that was behind her now.

Her wounds were definitely healing nicely, and she was proud of her work on them. By nightfall the city loomed on the horizon. They decided to stop for the night then. Once they awoke in the morning it would only be a few hours until they arrived. 

"everyone ready for new responsibilities?" Ander inquired. Tallulah scoffed. she surely was not ready, but she had to be. "I for one am hoping I am out into infantry once they've assessed my skills. What about you, Talon?"

"I don't know where I'd be best, training with a sword this time makes me want to try other weapons. The sword just doesn't work for me, perhaps daggers or an axe," she replied. 

"Such vastly different weapons, requiring different skillsets, but with practice you could master either," Atlas said at her statement. She nodded at this.

"What are you doing once you get to the city, Atlas?" She asked.

"I have some business to attend to with family and from there helping with the war effort," he replied. She knew he was holding something back. She didn't know how but she could feel it. It wasn't a lie, but he hadn't told the entire truth.

"You don't seem anxious to return,"

"I'm not, being on the road for several months has given me time to think and reflect and I am tired," Tallulah didn't know what to say.

She looked at him, like really looked at him at this point. He had dark circles under his eyes, which were bloodshot. His face seemed gaunt and his hair, which usually stayed in a topknot, was free flowing about his shoulders now. Its usual copper color seemed dull.

All in all he looked exhausted and worn out. His behavior throughout the day had left her concerned above all else.

Such concern would have to wait, it would appear strange if she acted motherly around him while acting as a man.

Tallulah looked around at her traveling companions. Where would she be if she hadn't met any of them? She didn't know and could think of so many bad situations she could have ended up in had she not met them.

If they all split ways once they got to the city she hoped they could keep in contact, or would that be too sentimental and odd?

...

Sleep either had evaded her for the night or she received so little that it didn't matter because when everyone was ready to leave their camp she was beyond exhausted.

She was, for lack of a better term, not attached to her conscious self. The first bit of their last stretch of walking she couldn't hold in thoughts, her head was mush and her whole body hurt.

She didn't know what she had done differently that night as opposed to any other night of this journey.

"-and you look dead, your mother isn't going to like how you've approached this," she caught a bit of the conversation between Mykel and Atlas, something she'd tuned out for the time being until then.

"Damn what my mother thinks, Mykel, she'll be out of commission once I return," Atlas replied. Tallulah knew better than to budge into the conversation, but her curiosities were piqued.

"You know that's not true, you need to find your-" Ander came up behind them, silencing their chat. She'd wanted to hear the rest of that remark from Mykel. She could see the city in all of its glory now, it was massive. And a bit overwhelming to say the least. Nothing much was said for the rest of their travels.

Once they reached the entrance to the city, her awe was obvious and got a laugh from Ander. Atlas' nerves had increased and she worried for him.

"What?" She asked when he hesitated upon entering.

"Nothing," he replied, shaking his head before continuing forward.

The city was crawling with people and she loved every moment of it. No one wouldlnow her here. There were too many people.

She noticed however, that people began to point and stare in their direction. Was it her? She didn't want to know if that was the case.

"The palace's left wing, where everyone must check in for enlistment is up ahead," Atlas said. Tugging Ronan as if hiding  behind him. She followed him and the other two.

"More and more people are staring at us, or is it just me?" She said.

"No, they are," Atlas told her.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because of me," he replied. She gave him a funny look. She didn't follow what he was saying. "Lets hurry before guards take notice as well, I'd like to make it inside before the situation becomes worse," he said hurriedly. She had to do a slight jog to keep up with the rest of them.

"Atlas, just tell him, the situation will escalate once your mother knows you're back," Ander said. She eyed him warily. So they all knew something she didn't?

"Fine," they came to a halt. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am the prince. I left several months ago on a diplomatic trip and was on my way back from it when I ran into you.  I thought you'd know who I was, but it was obvious from the get go that you didn't, and so I ran with it," she was shocked. Stunned. At a loss for words. She was hurt too. And something else rolled inside of her. But she didn't know how to describe it.

Things made more sense now. Ronan, and his lack of wariness towards her, Atlas' clothing choices. Everyone's reserved nature. And she had been spitting out annoyances when they first met. Fuck...

"Atlas! You're home! My dear boy," everyone blanched. Tallulah's face must have been worst of all.

"Hello mother," she almost forgot who she was in the presence of, and at last second dipped into a kneel along with Mykel and Ander.

Only Atlas stayed upright.

"Please, rise, any friend of my son's is a friend of mine," she said. Tallulah felt lightheaded. And she could have sworn she heard a slight scoff from Mykel. To Atlas she said, "I am so pleased you're home, and earlier than expected. The court will adjourn for a small celebration, let us go and your friends can finish their business," Tallulah already did not like this woman. She seemed to have her hands in too many pockets.

"Let's go, Talon," she looked back at the retreating figures of Atlas and his mother...the queen once more before following Ander and Mykel.