Moonshine

Chapter 22- Eros

𝐄𝐫𝐨𝐬
[ˈɛrɒs/ˈɛroʊs/]
{𝑨𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒌: Ἔρως}
(𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅: Érōs')
𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐱.
-

Lucy had never been as grateful for knives as she was at that moment.
She had been handy with a sword, but she had always adored knives. They were small and could be underestimated- something she understood too well- but were sneaky, and had a thousand uses, and were sharp to a fault.

Perhaps that love had started when Santa Claus had gifted her the dagger.

Perhaps it was even before, when she'd follow behind her mother as she bustled around the kitchen, and her eyes would always fall on the knives that stood just behind the spoons and forks.

No matter the reason, she loved them.
And they were saving her life, too, which was an additional advantage.

She had grabbed several knives from the makeshift armoury in the How before she and Susan had set out. She did not want to attack anyone if she could help it- she had helped kill Nikabrik, and that had hurt her, and she'd remembered why being a warrior was heartbreaking- but she had to protect her sister and herself as well as she could.

But, it was Susan who had ended up protecting her.
She'd jumped off the horse, Destrier, the moment she had realised that the Telmarines were too many and that they were cornering them in a spot they would not be able to get out of- and then she had smiled reassuringly at Lucy.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. It seems as though you will have go alone." She had said, the smile masking her despair. "You'll find Him, Lucy. I have faith in you."

Then she had tapped Destrier, making him gallop ahead once more- with Lucy on him, and Susan staying behind.

Despite her efforts, a few Telmarines still followed after Lucy- two or three, but she couldn't be sure. It was hard to count or see clearly as the horse sped up faster than ever, understanding that they were being chased and knowing that they did not want to be caught. All Lucy was aware of was the speed of the horse and the texture of his saddle- the brown-green blur of the forest as she passed it- and the pounding in her heart.
And- of course- the knives she kept throwing, haphazardly, whenever a Telmarine got close enough that she could see them clearly.

They were so deep into the forest already- this was where she had seen Him, that day, across the valley- but there was no sign of Him.

Susan had faith in her. Her brothers and her country was counting on her. Why was she failing? She didn't want to fail- she wanted to find Him, she wanted Him to comfort her-

An arrow whizzed by the side of her head, and she yelped, instinctively throwing another knife at the direction the arrow had come from. There was a thud from behind her, which meant her knife had found its mark- and now only Telmarine was still on her tail.

And she- she only had one knife left. It was a sudden realisation, as she felt her cloak with the hand that wasn't holding Destrier's reins- and terror began to flood through her body.
And that one knife was her dagger.

She couldn't let go of the dagger. It was her gift, her precious friend. It was as important to her as the cordial.
She had to throw the Telmarine off her trail- somehow, she had to disappear from his eyeshot.
But how?
The only thing that could help her was-

Something was running beside her, almost melting into the suddenly gold-green foliage of the trees. The sun shone brighter, and she thought she could see it reflected on a smooth animal-coat the colour of gold.
And then- on the ground-
A shadow.
In the shape of a Lion.