A Mirage Of Milk And Honey

Chapter 5 - A Spark To A Fuse

Zemira had spent the better part of the journey either annoying Aedis, zoning out, or fighting off sleep.

She'd always found long horse rides to be a bore. Tediously tiring—and not just on her behind—There was very little to keep Zemira entertained. As a hyperactive and energetic person, the only relief she found during the long cross continental rides was irritating her travel companions.

Zemira threw her head back and let out a groan, only to be ignored by the rest of the party. "When are we stopping?" She whined out petulantly.

"I trust it will be soon." Noah replied sympathetically from where he rode beside her. His dark brown horse shook its mane, as if telling him not to entertain the black haired woman's dramatics.

The company of five horses travelled in a dice formation; Aedis and Genberg stationed ahead, side by side while Zemira and Noah kept up the rear. Unfortunately for Chip, this arrangement left him lodged between the four, helpless against Zemira's chittering.

Aedis, with ever the keen ear, rolled his eyes as he called out "Pay her no mind, Noah. She's always insufferable."

Honey ducked her head, as if to avoid the blow of his voice and Aedis placed a hand on her forearm in apology, before leaving it to rest once more beside her hip. She looked up at him from where she sat, caged between the horse's mane and Aedis' chest.

With her naturally limited riding experience, seating her with Aedis had seemed the wisest of ideas. Though she'd been willing to give riding a go, it had been decided—by all except her—to be the best course of action. Not only was The General an experienced rider, but he was also the most capable of protecting her should the need arise.

Now though, Aedis was wondering whether it had been a mistake to keep a Mortvi so close to someone such as himself. The Ether he produced was like a moth and she the flame—incapable of curbing the gravity of her being.

But there had been another reason for their seating arrangement, because should the need arise, Aedis was also the most capable of protecting those around them from the very person they were escorting.

The thought sent a shiver down Honey's spine, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to shield herself from the onslaught of light.

With the sun about mid-day height, the snow around them offered the perfect mirror to reflect it in such a fashion that it surrounded them no matter where she looked and sent a pounding ache through her temples.

Honey may have been new to the way of things but the answer was obvious and no matter how unsettling the thought it was clear as day; she was harbouring too much Ether.

She imagined Aedis had guessed as much.

Though the overwhelming pulse of all the sensations around her—sight, scent, smell—was strong, its similarities were only a light shadow in comparison to what it had been a handful of days before. When she'd been wandering the forest adrift, it had been all consuming and overpowering, but sat atop their horse as they journeyed on the pressure was but a simple headache—disorientating and painful, but manageable.

For now.

Though everything still seemed a little too much. She could hear the crunch of horses' hooves breaking through the icy top layer of snow resonating through her head. The eel-like cold slithered through her cloak, which scratched against her skin a little too much and felt a little too heavy on her shoulders.

Even the heat of Aedis behind her was overpowering.

She'd become hypersensitive to the world around her, nerves set ablaze and hearing heightened. All six senses imploded, colliding like a meteor crashing through a field of asteroids, sending her veering through space in all directions.