The Curse of the Red Death | Hiatus

7 | New Faces & Fresh Starts

The rest of their journey through the Cantersing forest went without any trouble. Well, other than Tobias trying to convince their parents to let him keep the moss cat. They had reluctantly agreed when he promised they would never have to handle its water. The poor thing looked scared to death, but Jane had offered it some of her jerky and it had begun to relax within Tobias' grasp. It seemed he had acquired a pet after all.

After facing the giant deer and the dragon, Jane wasn't sure there was much within it that she couldn't handle. Despite its well-earned reputation, she could see why Alma had frequented it so often. It held a kind of peace within its darkness.

By the time they reached the other side and broke through the wall of trees, it had felt like an eternity since the sun had warmed her skin. She closed her eyes and breathed in, letting it wash over her as she focused on the fresh breeze. It was like constant dusk within the Cantersing. How she had missed the sun!

The land before them sloped down into gently rolling green hills with occasional trees that stretched toward the heavens. In the distance, a dazzling light flickered.

"That," Ahren stated, a grin forming on his face, "is the Tower of Babkesh. The highest point in the kingdom. We're incredibly close to our destination. We should be there by night fall. Shall we rest now or keep pushing on?"

"Let's keep going," one of the other men called out and some of the others agreed.

Jane glanced around, waiting for others to speak up, but they all seemed to be of a similar mindset. They were all done with constant travel. A nice place to sit down and relax would be lovely. Hot food, good drink, and a soft bed. Her back ached and she twisted to one side, then the other. She was ready to get this day over with.

The groups were now beginning to separate once more now that the dangers of the forest were behind them and the need for safety in numbers was no longer relevant. Conversations grew to soft murmuring. It seemed on these long stretches, there was little more to do than just think. Tobias was occupied with his new pet. Up ahead, Merle and Ahren walked side by side, holding hands. She couldn't imagine what it was like for them to be so far away from their home. They rarely talked about the past or what they had been through, though Jane knew a little more about her mother's past than her father's, but she ascertained that it had been rough.

It was a mindless day of walking, stopping, and repeat until they found a road that curved down and toward the city. As soon as they set foot onto the relatively smooth path, it was as if they had found a source of energy that rejuvenated them. There was a buzz to their group as they quickened their pace. The city was within sight and, oh, how welcoming it looked!

Itale was a sprawling city that was built among the natural landscape of the ridges, swells, and dips of the landscape. Rather than demolishing the natural beauty, it worked with it as if the city had always been there. Leave it to the elves to always put nature before construction.

By the time they reached the city's borders, it was late afternoon. The walls around the city were tall and guards patrolled the ramparts.

"State your business," one of the guards who stood next to the portcullis called out. His armor was a muted green with leather attachments that matched the vines growing on every flat surface within sight.

Ahren stepped forward and bowed his head to the guard. "We come from Rosehaven and we're seeking shelter and aid. Our town was besieged by a disease and we have nowhere else to go."

The guard glanced to his compatriot and the two seemed to share a silent conversation. The first guard looked back to Ahren, then assessed the rest of the group slowly. "How many days have you been traveling?"