The Stone of Shadows

4. Stone and Sand

Kurt awoke slowly to the chirping of the birds, singing a song of spring. The spring was making its slow appearance. It had been two days since they escaped from the inn. Two nights without their overcoats. For those three nights, the chills of night bit their skin. It grew more merciful over time, but the morning's frost still dried their lips. He sat up, a bit weary. Shaking himself awake, he found that Alexandra was gone.

He jumped out of the tent. The pines blocked out the morning sun, a mist lifting from the ground while patches of snow remained. Flowers sprung from the ground, their petals opening slowly to take in the coming sun. Pine needles stabbed at Kurt's bare feet as he looked around to find her. The chirping of the birds amplified over the running river, not too far from the tent. It was the likely place she would be. He rushed towards the river.

The gorge stood lit in the morning sun. The light struck the rocks sliding down towards the rushing water, the melted snow of winter cooling the clear rapid. The mist lifted from the rocks, and in the sun's light, Kurt noticed Alexandra's blouse. He slid down the rocks, keeping a good grip, as not to slip on the wet, misty stones. When he came down, he rushed to the blouse.

It was a black blouse, one she acquired from Bjor. Kurt never knew why Bjor still kept his dead wife's clothes, but it was beside the point to him. The blouse was flung onto the rocks, spread out like a murder victim. Kurt crossed the rocks to examine the crime scene. It was more dreadful than he could comprehend. A hole, was slashed across where her side would be. The fabric was torn by something sharp. Kurt put the blouse to his face, almost shedding tears. It was then he heard a shout, a voice so greatly offended. "What in Divine's are you doing!?"

When Kurt turned around, he was almost blinded by the sight of Alexandra naked. Though she hid herself behind a rock, the mere thought of it petrified him. He turned away as if she were the sun. "I thought something happened," he said, covering his eyes. "Why is there a hole in your blouse?"

"It's been like that since we escaped the inn," said Alexandra. "I think it tore along with the cloak."

"Well... wake me next time you go off."

Alexandra walked towards Kurt, whose eyes were still covered, and snatched the blouse from his hand. "I'd bathe in the river if I were you. You get over the cold."

She walked away, back behind the rock. Even without seeing her, Kurt could feel the ice of her body. "Maybe you should get over it."

When the sun was fully out, they made their way along the path to the mountains. The pines began to shorten as they ascended upward, the forest floor turning to stone. It was a reddish stone, patches of sand sitting like puddles along the naturally built staircase. They had made it to the top of a lookout, gazing upon the vast infinity of mountains. The great mountains aligned well, creating a path between them. They were bare, their sides steep and deadly, rising up into snowy caps. Pines barely populating the range tried to make their way up the hills, but not even they could make it. The peaked mountains sprung above. The sky, in clear view, was a drama of clouds rushing the blue. The sun was close to setting, white puffs cast by pink light.

At the top of the lookout, Kurt was close to tears as he stood against the wind. The beauty of the mountains brought him to a state of expanding emotion, as if his place in the vast world was small, and ahead lay wonders undiscovered. He felt a great jubilation on knowing this, and he turned to Alexandra. "Isn't it beautiful?" he asked. "There is nothing like it!"

Alexandra stood unimpressed. She walked past him. "There's nothing like the ones at home," she said. "Let's just find a place to set camp."

Kurt, agitated by this attitude, caught up to Alexandra, still taking in the grand scenery. They had walked a while like this, not exchanging a word. The path was only lined with cairns, flagged with emblems representing Steelhammer (or so Kurt presumed). It was clear to the both of them, that the cairns led to a nice spot by a pond, a flat sandy beach circling around the clear water. "We'll settle there," ordered Alexandra. "I'm sick of sleeping on hard ground."