Terres (Old)

Chapter Fourteen

Wren could scarcely get the thought of weddings out of her mind. That morning, another girl who lived a little ways down the caravan. And now her. Or at least that's what her mother expected. Wren wished she would drop the issue. The last few days had been nothing but talk about how she needed to be responsible and think of her future. It made Wren want to jump off a cliff. 

"Don't even think about it," her mother said as she stared wistfully out the tent flap, as if she were reading Wren's mind. She wanted to run as far as her legs would carry her.

"Why are you making me do this?" she asked as she turned and shot a pointed glare at her mother. Meria examined her nails and pretended not to notice the look. Instead she leaned back on a cushion and flipped through a small, leather bound notebook.

"Because I care about you," Meria answered. "You'll meet with Elyn, you'll go off wherever you feel the most comfortable, and you will make this work. It's not an option anymore, Wren. I'm not going to let you throw your life away."

Wren stared directly at her mother and pointedly rolled her eyes. She folded her arms across her chest and huffed. She wouldn't do this. She couldn't do this. She knew exactly what would happen. Elyn would take her somewhere, he'd kiss her, and they'd be engaged. The thought of it made her want to throw up into her lap.

He walked around the corner with his head hung low and his feet shuffling in the dirt. Wren's stomach opened up and dropped down into her shoes. Couldn't just ten more minutes have gone by? She cursed the fact that time existed and prayed that it would just freeze right now so this wouldn't need to happen.

Elyn said not a word as he walked up to their tent, shaggy hair hanging in front of her eyes. Wren's mother looked up as he approached and her face split into a huge smile. Wren wanted more than anything to peel it off.

"Hello Elyn," Meria said. She turned to Wren and glanced quickly to her, then to Elyn, then back again, then jerked her head in Elyn's direction.

"Hi," he muttered, still staring at his feet. He was tall and gangly, stuck in that awkward phase between a growth spurt and further weight gain. There were dark circles under her eyes nearly as deep as the ones she was sure were under hers. 

"Well I might as well get this over with," Wren huffed, and she stood up and followed him out. He took her hand and started walking purposefully toward the marketplace. Wren's face grew hot. She looked around, desperate for a place she could use to turn around but there was nothing. A few people popped their heads out of their tents and eyed them as they passed. Wren thought she might die.

They'd almost made it to the main market when Elyn stopped. He looked around them for what seemed like an eternity. Wren's eyes followed. What was he even looking at? All she saw was boxes.

"Follow me," he hissed. He tugged her hard to the right and she stumbled after him. Where were they going? The only thing there was in this part of the caravan was--

No. She dug her feet into the dirt. He stopped and let go of her hand. They weren't going to the guard tents. Not if she had anything to say about it.

"Please," Elyn begged as he reached to take her hand again. Wren pulled it away and glared at him. His eyes beseeched her to listen and his face wasn't so red anymore. He looked wild-eyed and panicked, like an animal caught in a steel hunting trap.

"Anywhere else," Wren said. Tears pricked at her eyes and she swallowed hard. Her heart thudded in her chest and her hands shook. She wiped quickly at her face with her hand.

"I don't want to do this either!" Elyn replied. He looked around them. "I never did. I don't like you." His face turned red and his eyes returned to their customary place in the dirt. "I mean...I don't not like you. It's just--"