Starlight And Mist

Rescue

Eiris awoke with a jolt. The carriage was still dark save for flecks of strange orange light, and it had ceased its jostling. There were yells and grunts outside, and what sounded like waves were crashing in the background. Something was wrong. The hair on her arms stood on end, the air full of friction. She hoped the drivers were well-armed.

She stiffened, clutching her thigh for her dagger, only to remember she didn't have it. The chill in the night air was so persistent it seemed to splinter into her skin and wrap around her bones, and her rapid breaths came out in little puffs. She leaned over carefully to assess the situation when the carriage door was ripped open, the interior flooding with orange firelight. She started, locking eyes with someone she didn't recognize. A tall man with a soft, ethereal face and wild green eyes stood where the door had just been, a look of surprise and something else on his face.

She sized him up in her head, hoping her smaller size would be an advantage should she be forced into combat. He was lean but muscular, with long wavy hair and pale skin littered with scars and fresh cuts. His tunic was like nothing she'd ever seen before, almost as if it were alive with color, light, and movement. There were no sleeves, and his bare arms were exposed to the cold sea breeze, revealing the thick bands of muscles. She recalled her training, confident she could stun him long enough to get away should he try and get up into the carriage.

The strange man thrust his hand into the carriage, grabbing her by the wrist, his angelic face contorted into a mix of pain and worry.
She struggled against his grip, but his hands were like solid traps around her wrists.

"Who are you? And where is my husband?!" She willed her voice to sound commanding, praying to the gods he wouldn't see the fear hiding in her eyes.

"I'm a friend, and I'm here to save you. You have to trust me. We need to leave now." He spoke quickly, his tone soft and gentle.

"Get off of me!" She brought her free hand down on his wrist as hard as she could but to no avail. He didn't so much as flinch, not even seeming to notice she had struck him. He just blinked at her in confusion, his grip not loosening.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" "You have the wrong person! If my husband finds you...." She didn't know how to finish that sentence. Would he come for her? Where was he? Why wasn't he here? Would he know where she'd gone?

"Your husband," His beautifully chiseled face contorted into a scowl.

"Won't find you where we're taking you. You'll be safe with us until we find and deal with him."

Behind him, a final yell followed by the familiar sound of a blade meeting flesh could be heard over the angry ocean waves. Silence followed. She felt the color drain from her face as the situation made itself clear—the sound of death.
He furrowed his brow and reached further into the carriage, grabbing her firmly by the arm and yanking her into his arms. He cradled her firmly against his chest as he turned away from the carriage and began taking long strides, sand crunching under his boots with every step. Eiris struggled against his grip, adrenaline rushing through her body. Cold briney air bit at her skin, and the metallic scent of blood was thick in the wind, turning her stomach.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way. I would have found another way to you sooner if I had known..." He gazed down at her, his eyes misty and full of heartache. It only made her struggle more, uncomfortable that this man seemed to have her confused with someone else who needed his protection. She looked up at his face, still wild from the fight, and it occurred to her that he was likely unstable and confused.

She kneed him in the ribs and scratched his arms, fighting to get out of his grip. He didn't flinch or show signs that she had just hit him with all her remaining strength as he carried her across the beach toward a dark mass of trees on the horizon. She froze as she managed to look behind them. The carriage was engulfed in flames, burning like a ceremonial bonfire. Lying on the sand were two still bodies in a pool of dark liquid, their glassy eyes pointed up at the night sky. They were dressed similarly to her newlywed husband. His drivers. Two figures shrouded in darkness still standing on the beach sheathed their swords, and turned towards the sea, disappearing into the fog. She emptied what little contents were in her stomach onto the slick grass.