What Lies Beyond the Ocean

Chapter 2

The world was dark now. As my eyes flickered open, the morning sky greeted me, making me almost blind. I sat up onto my knees, realizing that I was kneeling on hay. Where was I? Where on Earth were my supplies? I adjusted my posture and noticed that I was on a carriage. Not a royal carriage, but just a cheap wooden one commoners used. I also noticed a man who had short, chocolate brown hair and the clothes of a wealthy citizen living inside the city, Allience. I squinted at him, trying to see if I've ever seen him before, but his face didn't ring a bell.
He then caught me staring at him. He turned his head, staring into my green eyes with his mud-brown eyes. He was robust and attractive. I blushed deeply and tried to steer my eyes off of him, but I couldn't find myself doing so. His eyes flickered, but I didn't couldn't make out what. He turned his head and resumed paying attention to the horse. I snapped back into reality and hid my face into my knees, feeling sheepish. 

A slight breeze went through the green leaves. I was transfixed at the fields and meadows of blooming spring flowers. I smile to myself, remembering my best friend, Jaila. Jaila and I played in the nearby meadows and had the best of times. We would have picnics there. We would braid each other's hair with the beautiful blue and purple flowers. We did everything together. I felt anguished, and my smile fell in the hay under me as I remember the winter about two years ago. Jaila fell ill with a parlous case of a cold and only a day later passed away from it. I placed my pointy chin in between my knees and felt tears streaming down my face. Why couldn't I have died from the cold instead of her?

The carriage stopped as the robust man stepped out of the seat. He opened a bag filled with what appears to be food. The man then pulled out an apple, as red as the nearby roses. He then pulled out another apple and then a bottle of water. He then jumped onto the hay and plopped next to me. I gazed into those brown eyes of his, which were filled with kindness and warmth. He handed me an apple and a bottle of water. I took the apple first, my hand feeling his, which was warm. I took the bottle of water.
"Thanks," I said, full of gratitude since I didn't have food for a while.
He smiled slightly, revealing a small dimple on his right cheek.
I took a bite of my apple, which greeted my mouth with its sweet flavour. He took a bite as well and took a sip of water.
We were silent for a few minutes, but being my agog self, I decided to converse with him.
"What's your name?"
The man finished the second bite of his apple and looked me in the eye.
"Aylard," he replied. "What's yours?"
"Erline," I said with a slight smile. "Why am I here?"
"I heard something scream, so I decided to go investigate." he pushed away a stray hair out of his face.
I finished my apple as I think of what to say back.
"Who were those other men?"
"Oh, them," Alyard said, taking a sip of more water. "Those men were a hunting party,"
I raised an eyebrow, confused. Then who exactly is Alyard himself? Was he part of that hunting party?
He took notice and straightened his back. "I'm a hunter, but I wasn't part of that hunting party. I was hunting in the forest at the time. Also, my father is a hunter and a butcher and sells meat at a stand in the market. Who are you, Erline?"
I picked at my fingernails. Should I just tell him my business out here in the wilderness, or just tell him I'm a girl that lived outside the city walls? I shrugged.
"Um, well, I'm the daughter of the bookstore woman, and my father, well he's in war, he-" I looked away, deciding whether or not to tell him more about my father.
Alyard nodded. "It's alright."
I caught his understanding eyes, and I smiled.
"Anyways, Erline, what are you doing out here in the wilderness? Are you a hunter yourself?"
I shook my head. 

"No, I just- it's a long story," 

"Got lost?"
"I guess you could say that."
Alyard smiled a full, genuine smile and revealing that dimple of his once again.
"Anyways," he pushed the hay off of his pants. "I brought you along with me because I didn't want you to stay there with those other men around. They were all older, and they were all pugnacious."
"Thank you, Alyard," I smiled. "That's very kind and brave of you."
He rolled his eyes, and I laughed.
There was another silence for another few minutes. He finished the last few bites of his apple.
"Where are you headed?" I asked.
"Back to Alliance. But first, we have to you back home, shouldn't we?" Alyard said as he twiddled with a piece of straw.
Head home? I couldn't. Mother would be incensed, and I needed to find out what happened to my father. I concluded that I would have to tell Alyard a little white lie.
"Actually, I was actually going to Zalfa,"
His eyes widen in flabbergast.
"What for?"
"Uh-well, um, my mother sent me to Melino, the Capitol," I stammered out.
Alyard adjusted his posture, and he dropped the straw of hay. "That's days away. Why are you walking on foot? Did you decide to do that, or did your mother?"
I felt my heart palpitating. Alyard seemed to be in disbelief. I had to make him believe me, somehow.
"I was walking to the horse stables to borrow a horse, right outside of Allience, but then got lost, and now here I am."
He shrugged and nodded. I assumed he believed me.
"Since I'm riding back to Allience, how about I just drop you off at the stables?"
I felt my heart stop. He can't drop me off because I didn't have my bag with my money in it to rent a horse.
Great. Just great. I had no other choice but for him to drop me off at the stables.
"How about you stay with me and my father for the night? You look ailing."
I felt all of the pressure lift of my shoulders. I had time to get at least a little money.
"That would be divine!" I exclaimed, sighing in relief. "Thank you so much!"
To my surprise, I found myself unintentionally hugging Alyard. I felt a rush of embarrassment as I saw the surprised look on his face, but he hugged back. Alyard then hopped to his feet and went back to guiding the carriage along the dirt path.