The Withered and Tarnished.

Chapter Four

Even after an hour of searching for food, Kane had not been back yet. I was sitting here contemplating how to say enough words to chew him out when my mouth and my voice didn't want to cooperate with me. Had it really been so long I'd lost how to speak? It had to be here somewhere, like a habit waiting for me to start again. I awoke moments before he left saying he had to hunt for breakfast, then we would depart again on another trek that doesn't stop till we get at least halfway. He was very cranky with me probably because he thought we would make it farther yesterday and our water was running low already cause of me. Trying not to overexert yourself when you've done nothing but wither for years makes you excessively thirsty. So naturally I finished mine and was now drinking out of his.

I heard nothing as Kane silently sat down next to me. If I hadn't been waiting for him he would've scared me. Or maybe I am no longer scared of anything because my years in captivity. " I'm sorry it was pretty hard to catch something, I had to makeshift a trap to catch and I got a bunny." Me, utterly disgusted with the thought of eating something so pure, turned and gave him a cold stare. "Listen Princess-" I stomped my foot getting aggravated, like he didn't kidnap me and drag me walking through the wilderness unable to speak, just to not even know my name? "I mean.... uh..." Then he just shut his mouth. He really had forgotten my name. So we just stared at each other for a few minutes like that. Till he decided to just start skinning the bunny. I turned back around disgusted again and felt my throat get warm. I hope I don't puke. I already ate a rat, I could eat this. But bunnies were such beautiful small creatures...

After I grudgingly ate burnt b- I mean meat, I do not want to think about what our food is from anymore, we packed up our tent together. He didn't even bother asking me and carried it along with his bag. We didn't bath or change and I am assuming its because there is no water nearby so there is no point. "I know I said we would practice speaking with you but I would rather wait till we get to the safe halfway point." He spoke softly, first thing he said since he couldn't even remember my name. Where was this man taking me? Would I even really be safe, he can't even remember my name yet as a princess he specifically came for shouldn't he know? I touched my eyes they've healed some but had scabs on them I kept trying to ignore. Would be bad if i scrap them off out of my nasty habit and then can't see anymore.

We started walking again, him leading and me following grudgingly behind. When we finally stopped I fell to the ground, grateful for some rest. It was dark again after all and it was getting hard to see, my feet ached and probably at this point had blisters and cuts from abuse of walking nonstop. We ran out of water a few hours ago. Maybe I will die here before we reach his whatever place and then it won't matter what awaited me anyway. Kane bent down and offered me a hand, "I know you are tired but you'll feel better when you refill your water at this river but you have to make sure you get it close to the waterfall." At that my ears perked up. Waterfall? That sounds amazing. I get up and follow him and when I see it my mouth waters and my knees ache not from pain but because my body might melt.

It was beautiful, rushing waters cascading down rocks into a lazy river that was all blue, even in the dark. You could still see the bottom it was shallow, making it perfect for swimming. I smiled and looked at Kane he was smiling at the water too. "I will go set up the tent and start a fire, there is leftover meat that I used some herbs in the nearby trees to keep them good enough to eat now. But it is starting to get colder out as winter comes." I scrounged my nose at least grateful he said meat. At least winter here didn't have snow, I mean this was a little far from my castle but still must be the same weather here. I smiled bigger, when I realize he means to give me alone time in this lazy river to wash up. I don't have soap but the minute he walks away I rip off my clothes.

The water feels cool as I go in slowly and when I am waist high, which is as deep as it goes, I go under and when I come up I feel amazing. I do my best to rinse my dirt and aches especially in my feet that are starting to look really bad. They might've looked bad before honestly. I hadn't bothered to notice but they are just bones with skin and lots of bruises and cuts and now blisters, the color of them was almost like that of a cloud. They probably didn't do well in the cell for years on a cold and hard floor. But now they honestly felt a bit relieved in this water. When I feel better and ready to get out, mostly because I was exhausted still and swimming made me more tired, I filled my water and put on a change of clothes that wear in my pack. The old ones went back into my book pack.