Destiny Written

Chapter 16

It had been four days of traveling. To where? No destination in particular, other than away from Florentia. The dense forest grew smaller and smaller with each passing hour, a looming mound in the distance that jutted across the horizon. The land, compared to Everrain, was smoother. Less forests, more rolling hills of endless wild grass. The sky was blue, laced with cottony wisps of clouds, and when the morning mist cleared, Arden could see the distant shadow of a mountain rage that surrounded them.

He had not learned of the geography of the land across the Elicien river, but he knew it was different. His heart waited for the trees with light bark and the pointed leaves that fell in autumn and bloomed in spring. In his early years, his father would sit him in his lap with a book of maps splayed across the desk. The paintings were hundreds of years old, but the colors remained eternal. Arden always yearned for those colors that differed from the dark greens and blacks of the Everrainian garb. Everything was dark and mute though sun shined year round. Here, the vibrancy made everything feel more alive. Like opening his eyes and seeing colors through a new lens.

Oak mentioned they were still well-within Florentian territory, fields upon fields as infinite as the sea. Another week and they would cross the invisible border and into Aridian territory. Oak said that he would take them that far, but there was the unspoken silence from Maris, who Arden sensed wanted to go farther.

The rolling hills did not provide many places of shelter. They slept the past few nights in the sparse groves that they had found, but tonight, the sun set and they had found none. They camped against a hill to block the wind that had started to whistle.

The stars in this sky were so far from the constellations of Everrain. He was far, far from there. The constellations in Everrain were Arden's friends when he could not sleep. Tracing the dots, connecting them, he watched the stars come alive becoming a way of keeping his lonely mind active. The only star Arden could recognize was the Sola Nova, the never-changing star.

His body was weary from traveling. His spirit even more. After traveling alone for five years, within two weeks he had a caravan: two runaways, a thief, and a mysterious child.

He sighed. The temperature dropped drastically in this air, his breath a fog with each exhale. He always took the first watch and Ten would take the remainder of the night and well into the morning. Though he was in a foreign land, Arden felt complete ease here. A small reassurance that he would not have to look over his shoulder every five seconds to see if an Everrainian guard would come upon him.

Maris and Oak were sleeping back to back while Ten curled in his own ball. Curiously, Corvera chose to sleep right by Arden, and every night since they began their journey. She nestled in his side, swaddled in a blanket, seeking the warmth that he radiated.

Corvera turned. A troubled moan came out. Then a sharp breath. She kept turning, fidgeting, hands spread out, batting away an invisible assailant.

"No," she mumbled, lost in sleep. "Stop it."

Concerned, Arden called her name.

"Don't take me!" She threw her hands out in combative movements.

Arden seized her arms with one hand. "Cor, wake up. I'm right here."

Her eyes snapped open at his voice. The swirl inside was misty, a dark stormy shade of blue. "Please don't let them take me," she pleaded.

"Who?"

"The monsters," she whispered.

He was going to say monsters didn't exist, but the fear on her face did.

"They won't get you," he said. "You're safe with me." He slowly let go of her arms. Pulling out a handkerchief, Arden carefully wiped her tears from her cheeks.

Corvera scrambled into a sitting position. "Arden?"

"What?" He laid the cloth into her lap and rearranged the blanket that had twisted around her.

"You won't let them take me right?" She sniffled.

"Never."

She closed her eyes, her head nodding as if assuring herself. When her eyes opened, she said, "Can... Can I sleep closer to you?"

"Um, sure-" She climbed straight into his lap. Rearranging themselves, Arden put her between his legs and bundled her in the blanket. She leaned back on him.

"These monsters," she whispered in the darkness, "they tried to take me before. But then my father fought them. I remember that. I remember running and then... I woke up here."

"You woke up here?" asked Arden.

"I don't know. I just remember being so tired and then... I was here. Do you think my father will find me, Arden?"

"I don't know," he said truthfully.

"If he doesn't find me," the slightest hint of sadness in her voice, "could I just stay with you? Like forever and ever?"

His arms instinctively went around her, cradling her, protecting her. "Yeah," he whispered back.

She grew heavy in his arms, laden with sleep. "Ever and ever."

When she was fast asleep, Arden anchored himself around her. Having someone to protect felt different. Arden felt purpose in his wandering life. His old life was gone and this was a new one. A chance that he never had.

A new sky was stretched above him, but that same star remained. Something new with someone constant.

He let out a breath, his warmth creating a cloud in the brisk air. "Forever and ever, Cor."