Sides of War

Chapter Twenty-Three: Blue Eyes

They traveled the entire following day and camped for the night at the edge of the forest. Jorlin was more sore and tired than usual, and she tried her best to cover it up. As they ate dinner around the fire, Jorlin tried to savor the food, but instead she ended up devouring it. The traveling had taken its toll on her, and there was barely enough food in her pack to sate her hunger as often as she would have liked.

As they ate, Jorlin tried not to stare as she studied Draven's clouded white eye. When he looked up at her she asked, "What's it like only having one eye?"

"I don't know. What's it like being stupid?" he asked casually.

They looked at each other for a couple seconds, and then Draven let out a short laugh despite himself, shaking his head. He laughed. Jorlin eyed him skeptically. It sounded strange, and if she was honest it made her feel uneasy. But, in the spirit of being honest, he looked much more fetching with a smile. Jorlin quickly banished the thought from her mind.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

He shook his head again. "I don't know. It just is."

Jorlin allowed herself a laugh when it hit her. He was laughing because he'd realized how petty and meaningless their fights were.

A strong wind swept through the forest, rocking the creaking branches of the trees and making her shiver. She looked away from their campsite and traced the emaciated tree limbs with her eyes, trying to distract herself from the numbing cold.

She abruptly asked, "Do you think I'm going to die during the siege?"
He turned to look at her. "I don't know. It depends on a lot of things."

"Don't lie to me."

His gaze dropped, and there was a long pause that followed. "It's likely."

Jorlin uncrossed her arms and hugged her knees to her chest. She didn't know why, but she was okay with that. It didn't frighten her. "Tell me what battle is like."

He looked up at her again, but his eye shifted uneasily. "I've told you before."

"That was when you were trying to drive me away. Tell me what it's really like."

He rubbed the back of his neck as he thought. "It's everything I've told you." He paused before adding, "But the feeling you get is unlike anything else. It's the most wretched, exhilarating thing." Draven shook his head. "Don't misunderstand me; it's not something you want."

But I do want it, she thought. "I know."

"No, you don't. I don't expect you to." It was a few, slow seconds before he added more quietly, "I don't want you to."

By the following night they made it back to the Decaster encampment, which by then had stopped in the forest.

"You don't have to come to Slater's tent with me this time," Draven said as they wove between tents, people, and campfires.

"Good. I won't be able to stand his voice," she replied, readjusting the pack on her shoulder. "When are we leaving?" she asked in a quieter tone. "For good, I mean."

He looked out at the camp. "I was hoping tomorrow night. It won't be hard to get our hands on those horses again, and with cover of darkness it'll take a while for anyone of importance to notice our absence."

Jorlin saw Slater's tent up ahead and stopped. "Come get me tomorrow when it's time. I'll most likely be with Tholan."

He nodded, then continued walking. She watched him until he disappeared inside the tent.