The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding (Book One of the Oescienne Series)

Chapter Fourteen - A Party, a Prank and a Near Death Experience

Copyright (C) 2009 Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

All Rights Reserved

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A PARTY, A PRANK AND A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

The caravan traveled at a steady pace, clattering down the smooth dirt road that wound through the wide, green Raenyan Valley. From an eagle's point of view, Jahrra imagined the small train of carriages would look very much like eight glittering pearls strung out on a necklace. Unfortunately Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede couldn't appreciate such a sight; they were stuck in one of the giant gem-like coaches rocking gently towards what they were sure was going to be an unpleasant experience.

In order to blot out the horrible images of dancing around a crowded ballroom with their malicious classmates, Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede focused on the landscape as it passed by. Deep green hills and wild, rolling fields stood on either side of them.

Jahrra pushed open the window nearest to her side of the carriage and poked her nose out like a curious mouse. The outside air stung her face, but it smelled wonderfully of thawing frost and distant fire smoke. The clattering of wheels, the chucking of hooves and the puffing and snorting of the horses made any other natural sounds obsolete. Great clumps of deep green oak groves dotted the fallow fields like huge, hulking beasts curled up against the cold.

Jahrra shivered at the sight and frowned when she noticed the stark white trunks of birches and sycamores lining the great Raenyan River. They looked, she thought, like the skeletal remains of giants, standing on either side of the waterway in an endless faceoff. Jahrra sighed and closed her eyes, imagining the noise that such a great battle might create.

The three companions kept a tally of all the animals they saw along the way, ranging from cattle and horses to deer, foxes, and the birds visiting Oescienne for the winter. As the carriages veered north, Jahrra peered out of the window once again and noticed in the far distance a large stream diverging northwest from the Raenyan River. Half an hour later the carriages turned off along a road that followed the tributary.

"Oh! This must be Itah Creek!" Gieaun exclaimed, now leaning gingerly out of the open window. "Father told us it flows out of the north canyon of Kiniahn Kroi, and South Itah Creek flows out of the south canyon into Itah Creek. We must be close!"

Both Jahrra and Scede plastered themselves against the inside wall to get a better look. A few minutes later their coach abruptly headed west and soon they came upon yet another waterway. Jahrra looked out the window once more and her jaw dropped in awe. Ahead of them lay a great stone bridge constructed from smooth, light blue-grey cubes of granite.