Of Blood And Royal Bones

Chapter 6: Unbreachable Ice Land

They had traveled for three whole days, stopping only after the sun parted with them. Their journey thus far had contained little conversation. It seemed that Ziam had a professional sense to him after all, and Kassia's attitude continued to turn more and more sour as she was forced to consume handfuls of dehydrated fruits and tough bits of jerky. Nevermind the fact that even her hay filled lump of a mattress appealed more to her than the rough, cold ground that gave her spine the need for a good cracking every morning.

    It had only taken one day for her to stumble upon the cold realization that she was not as excited to carry out this assignment as she once had been, or as she hoped she'd still be. She missed her friends, missed her training sessions with Jurgen, and she loathed the thought of carrying out the larger chunk of this journey without a companion to talk to, joke with, laugh with.

    It was now the fourth day of their travels and they rode along in their usual encompassing silence, though they had traced an arcing path to a nearby narrow dirt road in order to escape the ever thickening woods.

    Kassia sighed aloud. She glanced at Ziam who promptly ignored her obvious complaint. She sighed again, even louder.

    "Whatever it is that ails you, I wish you would find a suitable treatment for it." He bit out in a low, aggravated tone.

    "I suppose you can be of assistance in that area as it is you that ails me." She bemoaned.

    He turned his head to look at her, an eyebrow raised. "How ever have I ailed you? I've succeeded in doing nothing to–"

    "Yes, precisely." She complained. "You have succeeded in doing nothing, not speaking, not lashing at me with crude comments, nor even catching me in your gaze for more than a moment or two!" She took a breath. "So, yes, you have ailed me. And I would like to know why."

    There was a pause in Ziam's character as if he was racking his brain for the right thing to say. Then he finally said, "You are the one that provokes my crude comments."

    "How ever do I do that?" She whined incredulously.

    "You are far too easy to tease, what with your child-like naivety on such subjects."

    She furrowed her brows at him, considering. "Why do you refuse to speak to me?"

    "I do not refuse to speak to you, I think that is plain enough seeing as I am speaking to you now." He looked down at his horse with an indiscernible expression on his face.

    "Then tell me, what did the Baron say to you during your individual briefing with him?"

    A spark of meaning crossed his face at her words and she knew she'd assumed correctly.

    "It would be dishonorable for me to disclose that with you."

    "Yes, yes, you are so full of virtue. Now tell me."

    Ziam sighed. "In far more pleasant terms that are much easier on your pretty ears, he informed me that if I dearly valued my fingers that I should keep them far from you lest I lose them."

    Kassia did not try to hide the smile that tugged at her lips. She admired her father's brazenness and her heart filled with a longing to see him. "Are you afraid of the Baron?" She teased.

    "I do enjoy the use of my fingers." He admitted. "That is why I will not dare to so much as enter the air that surrounds you."

    Now it was Kassia who moved her gaze to her horse's shaggy mane. "Though it is not a risk to speak to me, surely."