Ashes to Stardust | Sihtric Kjartansson

Chapter 6: The Bone Horn

Countless hours pass before Sihtric slowly begins to lessen the stallions pace. We continue to navigate through the dense foliage after riding through almost the entire night, my body now aching unbearably in the saddle. The early hours of morning mist coats the earth below while the ascent of the sun casts beams of golden hues, both orange and yellow, to dance their way between the leaves.

As we dredge through the forest a chill creeps in, one not nearly as unforgiving as the dampness of my cellar. I huff hot air into my frozen palms as best as I can, releasing my grip on the reins to hold them up at my mouth. My stomach groans. Loudly. Hungry. So hungry. I'd barely had a single thing since Eiríkr's pathetic intimidation act in the hall yesterday. I continue to glance around at the endless forest beyond, the mist wreathing around us and blending into the sky that is not quite light yet. But somehow, my head feels clearer than it has in days. Months. Years. Clear with the anticipation that a world lies out there that I have barely observed and I want to see it all. Life, people, I want to see it and feel its rush through my blood. No boundaries or limitations to what I might see or do. Just freedom.

My chest expands as I fill my lungs as far as they will stretch, then contracts back down again as I release the fresh scented air out through my mouth. I couldn't remember the last time I'd done such a thing - breathed easily.

"For what it's worth I do actually want to give you a day of rest" Sihtric's voice slices through the mist. "You're hungry and exhausted, it's been a long night."

My brows frown sharply, "Don't coddle me."

"I'm not, but you will forgive me if I make fair assessments based on your current physical condition."

"I'll be the person who decides when I rest." His snicker shakes against my back at my defiant response.

I peer over my shoulder at him and he looks back to me. As his eyes linger on mine, his mouth twists into a smirk and my body begins to stiffen a little with discomfort. So I yield and face forward again.

"I can hear your stomach so loudly it isn't even just rumbling, it's growling. I think the entire forest can. You need to rest and recover if we are ever going to make this trip and actually survive it, otherwise your groaning organs are going to get us both killed. There is no shame in it."

This time I remain facing forward. The calmness I just felt slipping away by the second as irritation begins to prickle at my ears. He is right and I'm not stupid enough to deny it. I don't feel any shame in resting despite his attempt at sarcasm, I'm just not going to rest on his terms.

"You can try all you want to deny it then, but it won't help you if you fall to the ground from exhaustion. Your hands are shaky. Your movements are stiff. You aren't just tired-you're exhausted. You need to rest, even if you're not willing to accept it yet."

My body stiffens in defiance as I refuse to answer him once again, squeezing my thighs a little tighter just to ensure I remain steadfast atop the saddle that holds us both.

He lets out a low chuckle. "Do you ever stop being so serious?"

"Do you ever stop being such an ass?" I give in and snap my head back over my shoulder to stare up at him head on, preparing for his challenge.

But he doesn't give me one. He just grins at me. "Much better."

I face forward much slower this time. I don't know why but something softens just a touch in me at the calmness in his tone. My stomach rumbles and growls again so loudly I think Eiríkrs men will surely be able to track us just from sound alone. It causes such a tight twisting feeling in me that I begin to pray to Odin that the organ won't come spilling out of my mouth. I can hope all I like that Sihtric doesn't hear it, but there's no way he couldn't. I am hungry and I do need rest. Still, I say nothing.