The Girl of Ossetia

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

            The wind had picked up, its warm fingers gently caressed Arrana’s showing skin. A distant smile washed upon her features, face tilted up to the sun, eyes closed as her body gently rocked along with the swift movement of her horse. As they came closer, the most beautiful sound tickled her senses. The powerful crash of waves, roaring some distance away. A cry from a gull pitched higher then the low, tremulous moan of the tossing tides. The smell of salt became stronger, and the heat of the day rose to the point in which Arrana stripped her heavy white cloak from her shoulders.

            Her pale skin glowed under the sunlight, her long swathes of autumn hair swayed in the ocean breeze. It was the most content she had reached in quite sometime. Her eyes flickered open as the roar of waves was so very close, and the sound of her horse’s hooves had been dimmed to soft pushes through squeaking sand. A large dune swayed upward before them, in which they climbed to the soft peak. There they stood, staring out at the beautiful sight.

            Arrana’s breath left her, her skin prickled. She stared out at the curved blue horizon, which glimmered and turned under the sun in a royal blue fit for the robes of a king. The sand was a crisp white, and the waves arched perfectly onto the sand. Long pieces of drift-wood splayed crookedly in patchy sand-dunes, bright and colorful shells were littered upon the white blanket like jewels in a velvet lined box. A high squeal escaped the prodigy girl’s lips, and she swung off of her horse quickly, lifting the hem of her white gown high, her now bare feet squeaking in the soft sand.

            Down the dune she went, sprinting across the flattened land towards the sea – all the while tearing off her leather vest, leaving just her flowing white gown. She danced to the edge, hearing the others slowly follow. Down at the frothing edge she looked. A wave crashed and ran close to her toes, the cold water shocking her. She turned back to Iasarith, who was slowly taking off her leather armor. Luinil came trotting through the sand, her face pulled into a bright smile. Saelam sat on a salt lined log close to shore.

            Arrana again turned to the waves, before running in. The cold water slapped against her and again the breath left her lungs. Yet she was not afraid, and the feeling was exhilarating. The tides fought with her legs, sent her stumbling around in white froth. All the while she giggled, running her fingers through the water repeatedly.

            In one swift moment, she found herself under the water, disoriented and not exactly sure what way was up or down. Her eyes creaked open, the salt stinging her eyes. Her mouth opened and bubbles burst out. She felt the tingle of her gills begin to form under her jaw, but she kicked at the sand and up she floated to the surface. There, Luinil yanked her out swiftly and up onto her back she was tossed. Arrana spluttered gently, a soft laugh tittering from her lips. Her autumn hair matted back in wet tendrils, her dress soaked and clinging tightly to her pale skin. She trembled at the cold, yet still a smile on her face. Luinil laughed, moving through the water, before veering away quickly, Arrana sliding off back into the water with a squeal.

            Out she burst, nearly knocked back over by a large wave, she pushed her hair out of her eyes, bursting into tremulous giggles. She waded as quickly as she could to Luinil, splashing her playfully. Soon Iasarith and Amundil joined, the two helping Arrana conquer Luinil.

            Arrana’s gut hurt of laughter, and muscles ached at the force being put against the waves. She turned back to the shore, waving at Saelam, who was gently leaned back against the log. He looked long at her, his mouth in a straight line before gently turning into a smile.

            “Come in!” Arrana called over the waves, before Amundil pushed her back under playfully. The Dwarves had not joined the Sea-party because they were not known for their keen-swimming techniques, for they spent the time back up in Aspura hunting for tonight’s feast; the Angstorn Sea had been barren of fish and other life for quite some time now.