Iron and Wood #Wattys2017

Chapter Ten

Ella was trying to sleep between the massive roots of a tree, still wrapped in Shal's cloak and blanket. The Templar had given her a new dress, muttering that was given to her by a villager. There were two strange brown stains on it, and it was oversized and itchy, but she was grateful to be able to remove her dirty nightgown. Ella rolled over again, sitting up.

Dead leaves and brambles stuck in her soft golden hair, and she picked a few out before giving up, and turning to look at what had woken her.

The horse snorted and ground his teeth in displeasure. The Templar was still awake, brushing his neck with the brush from his saddle bag. Ella shook her head, shaking off the blanket and going over, the cloak dragging behind her.

"That part is already clean," her small hand stopped the Templar's. Shal looked at her, and Ella paused for a moment, seeing how much her pupils had dilated, even in the dark. "We should take off his saddle to brush underneath, and so he can lie down to sleep, just for the night.  He won't run as well tomorrow otherwise."

"You should lie down to sleep," Shal snapped with a shake of her head, roughly pushing the brush into Ella's stomach. "If they find us and he's not ready to move-"

Ella took the brush in both hands.

"Did we not walk through-how many rivers, to get here?" She started brushing the horse's rump, more gently. "Only for a moment. Just to brush him. Please?"

Shal paused, biting her lip for a long moment, and then undid the horse's girth, lifting the saddle off so Ella could brush the horse's sweaty back. He whickered more happily now.

"He can't stand up forever," Ella said softly.

"We're trading him in again next time we see people." Shal stood not a foot away with the saddle. "I am surprised you know so much about horses."

"It's not as though I always had someone to do everything for me, you know." Ella crinkled her brow, brushing the horse's stomach.

"Is that so?"

She sighed.

"No, I just like horses.  I always wanted to do this myself.  They usually wouldn't let me, though."

She stood back, running a hand over the horse's back and stomach to check for dirt.

Shal's expression changed briefly, but not with understanding. She re-saddled the horse, tightening the girth.

"You should go to sleep," she repeated.

"Why don't you?" Ella asked.

"I have to keep guard."

"You have to sleep sometime."

Shal paused, lowering the flap over the billet straps of the saddle.

"I have too much energy to sleep now."

"How on earth..."

Ella watched her step back from the horse. The Templar bent to pick up her sword and shield, going to stand at the border of the clearing.

"Templar...." Ella began uncertainly. "Are you human?"

Shal looked back at her irritably.

"What do you think?"

"I-I did, but..." Ella watched the Templar's shadow grow long in the moonlight. "You... you never eat, you hardly sleep, yet you're bouncing off the walls—well, the trees."

Shal sighed, turning to go back into the woods.

"I'm going to check around."

Ella rushed over to block her.  Anger flashed over the Templar's face for a second, and then disappeared.