They had been riding for three days straight. Sleeping only one hour every three they traveled, as they raced through the Lynoën countryside while avoiding any settlements on their way.
So far, there had been no sign of the enemy following them. Perhaps the attackers didn't deem it necessary, considering the amount of people that had died in the assault. However, Lidea was certain they would eventually come looking for them once they discovered that she had survived.
They must still be checking the bodies.
A sudden misstep in her horse's trot almost threw her off balance, but she managed to stay seated by clutching the animal's mane. Regaining her composure, she sighed and patted the horse's neck apologetically. Her riding skills were mediocre at best, and the lack of sleep had left her mind foggy. She had nearly lost consciousness several times by now.
Feeling eyes on her, she looked up to see Warchief watching with concern. Astride his bay mare, he looked to be at complete ease in the saddle, as he made sure to stay beside her at all times.
Lidea suspected he had been tasked with the thankless job of keeping an eye on her, while Crystal had to ride double with Cedric.
"I'm fine, Warchief."
She tried to argue preemptively, but through the way he pressed his lips together, she knew he disagreed even before he spoke.
"Maybe we should take a break...?"
His suggestion was a reasonable one, but she couldn't help but glance over at the Droamstymer Channel. They had been following it from the moment they left the capital as it was the most direct way east, and now she could see the faint outline of the flags that signaled where the channel crossed the Lynoën-Udrän border.
They were so close.
"We will reach Udrän in another couple of hours. If we continue on, we can reach camp before nightfall."
Following her gaze, he nodded in understanding before bringing his horse to a stop.
"All the more reason to take a break now. You won't manage to stay awake until then."
As soon as his horse halted, her own gelding stopped as well, not missing any opportunity to rest, even if it meant nearly dislodging his rider again.
"You can't be serious, Warchief. I will be fine for another couple of hours. There is no sense in taking the unnecessary risk of trying to sleep here for a short moment when we can have a proper night's sleep in safety when we arrive."
"It does make sense if that means that we can prevent you from falling off your horse and hitting your head."
He spoke so matter-of-factly that he almost convinced her. Almost being the keyword.
Annoyed, she tried to steer her horse onward, but the stubborn thing seemed to ignore any of her commands. The sight must have looked pretty ludicrous, as Warchief started laughing. His mirth only fueled her irritation.
"What are we standing around for?"
Crystal asked as she caught up to them, Cedric's sleeping form sitting behind her. Though the soldier's life was no longer in any danger, he was still too feeble to ride. From what she understood, the extent to which he had used his abilities while being untaught, had damaged his body from within. Crystal assured her, that it was nothing that couldn't be mended by time, but he would have to rest as much as possible. For that reason, they had decided to tie him to Crystal who was not only the lightest among them but also the most skilled horseman.
"She was about to fall off her horse again. We should take a break before pushing through to camp."
"It makes no sense to stop here. Why take the unnecessary risk when we are almost there!"
YOU ARE READING
Tipping the Scale
FantasyIn a country, where magic and knowledge is limited to the elite. The underclass have finally had enough. A revolution has tipped the scale of power, and the powerless have become in charge. All that was a symbol of magic has been destroyed, its hist...
