Beyond Immortality

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

I woke up to the smell of delicious breakfast. Mithian served me as usual and stood there smiling mischievously.

"Okay, I know you are waiting for me to ask you why you're grinning?" I say in surrender. She hums a song walking around in excitement. She appears in front of me placing a wrapped gift on the small dining table. I glanced at her curious at what was in there as it appeared bulky.

"what's that?" I asked sipping my milk.

"take a look," she says clapping her hands happily like a small child who had just gotten a new dummy to play with. I swallowed my food before sighing. Lazily I pull the gift towards me. I untie the cloth to reveal a metal gauntlet. Astonished I get onto my feet eyeing her both seriously and surprised too. I chuckled in disbelief, unwrapping the gift completely.

"it came in only a few weeks after you left and I have waited for this moment," she says.

"but I came a few days ago you could just give it,"

"I also wanted to give you a day you could use it." I scoff still in disbelief.

"so today is the day?" I ask not sure where this would lead.

"yes, so the prince and his knights are going on a hunt would be a good day to try and put to it practice, don't you think?"

"you are one skimmer," I say 

"I knew you would love the idea,"

"you read me like a book, have one of the stable men prepare my horse as I get ready," I tell her already loving the way the day was unfolding. I took my leather armor and put it on. It was more of a shoulder leather dress that ran up down close to mid-thigh. Its front fastening is more of clasps running from top to bottom with a leather strap aiding the fastening. The buttons were silver in color shaped artistically like a flower, underneath it I wore a length-strapped shirt. The cloth fitted me very well around the torso like a second skin. I put on the belt with two fitted porches on each side. One as I guessed was to secure my sword the other porch was divided into two sections big enough to hold daggers. I put on cloth mittens before the actual leather mittens. Mithian gets in on time to help me fasten my gauntlets and my right shoulder blade armor. Finally, I put on black and grey long mid-thigh socks that match my vest and fitting boots. Mithian braids my hair before letting the long braid fall over my shoulder.

"wow, it even looks much more radiant on you My Lady," I stare at my reflection in my new full-length mirror after I broke the previous one. I looked ....breathtaking. Mithian hands me my sword and two daggers which I fit into their respective places.  By the time I'm at the main square Orion and the rest of the knights are almost leaving.

"Did not think I would be left out of the fun, did you?" I speak proceeding down the flight of stairs just as my horse is being brought to the main square. Orion whose expression was hard and cold softens as stares at me till I'm at the bottom of the steps. He clears his throat when I'm close enough giving a blank expression.

"where are you going?" he asks.

"don't be a bore, am coming with you," I answer. We stare awkwardly at each other making me rethink my answer it must have come out wrongly. I did not mean it like that. "I don't mean you obviously, not you...them and you," I stutter nervously.

"I forbid it, Deirdre. You could get hurt," he argues.

"so could you if you don't get out of my way," I reply walking past him to my horse.

"Father won't take it kindly if anything were to happen to you," he tried to reason but I was already on the horse ready to ride out.

"then it is your job to make sure it doesn't," Orion sighs less thrilled by my decision but still mounts his horse. I carry my quiver and bow. Kicking slightly the horse so it moves. We ride out as a group of five, Orion, his servant two knights, and me.  Our first spot was dissatisfying so we headed further into the forest taking different paths. The thicket's thickness had us get off the horse and walk through it leaving the horses under Orion's servant's care, everyone took their position, Orion leading the hunt. The forest was green with the rays of the sun penetrating through the open spaces left uncovered by the tree canopies. Though it was a bit foggy as it was in the morning hours. The rustling sound was barely heard as the leaves were still soggy from dew aside from the dry branches that broke when stepped on.  Orion suddenly raised his hand commanding us to hold our ground and wait as he slowly walked toward the direction a sound came from. He then asked a knight to hand him a crossbow. I took out my bow to position an arrow in place ready for a successful mission. As I focused on the target, my senses caught panting, heavy but delicate panting. Must be a bandit. I listened keenly, It was there this time when I used my magic I heard it well as if someone was panting into my very own ears. It was fragile, timid, and unstable, not enough to be a man's pant. My conclusion is it belongs to a young one. Amid the panting came sobbing.