Silence in Sagas

2

The leaves ruffled as he swished by bushes and Arlos' heavy breathing filled the quiet night air. He pushed away trees and bushes in the stocky woods with a desperate hope that he'd spot the castle soon.

He was not fit for this at all. His legs did not move as fast as he panted--how unjustified...

But he wasn't stopping. Not now--this mission had been given to him, and he wasn't about to make his father regret that.

Arlos felt a new determination build up inside him, and his feet slapped against the ground faster, the bushes in his way were swept aside by his legs, and he watched as the ground flew by faster and--

He was tugged to a stop, stumbled and slammed into the ground.

Ouch.

It was dark and smelled of moist, muddy earth. Arlos raised his head up from the ground and spat out soil before sinking down again. He lay like that for a while, not really thinking. But then his foot started throbbing, and he sighed, sitting up on his knees and looking down at a protruding root he'd gotten caught in.

You know, this would only happen to you, said an inner voice.

He brushed himself off, stood up and started walking while brimming with gratefulness for being sent on this mission by himself.

Yes, he was aware that this was something that'd only happen to him. He was an awkward buffoon, if that'd please the inner voice.

Arlos regained his breath and some of his worthiness. He was ready to start running again--slower this time, though. He picked up his pace and broke through a bush, and he stopped.

He wasn't surrounded by stocky trees anymore. A cloudy night sky had opened up above him, and a pond lay still in front of him.

On the other side of the water, he saw the castle.

To his left, there was somewhat of a path, which seemed like such luxury after the countless bushes, and he gladly walked it.

Now Arlos stood in front of the castle, glancing up at the construction.

Nerves etched themselves into Arlos' chest, creating an uncomfortable, angsty feeling as he put his first foot on the wall and used the small ridges in the stone to climb.

***

Oliwa sat beside Willa on a stone by the pond outside her home. They bathed their small feet in the water as the sun warmed the rest of her skin.

Schoolmaster Helina and Schoolmaster Jemen had agreed on giving her the day off. They had even convinced the guards to let her come here alone.

Days like this never happened.

"Willa? Oliwa?"

Willa's mother's voice rang out over the garden. "Dinner's ready!"

Willa turned around. "We're on our way!"

They got up and walked towards the small cottage. It was so different from everything in Oliwa's life, and the thought that this was the place Willa went when she wasn't with Oliwa made her stomach twist and turn in a feeling that Oliwa wanted to deny, but recognised as jealousy.

"How are you, Oliwa?" Willa's mother asked. She had the longest, brownest hair Oliwa had ever seen, and before, she had called Oliwa things like 'Milady' or 'Your Highness'--that was until Oliwa insisted that those titles weren't for people under ten years old. Willa's mom had chuckled, but Oliwa hadn't understood what was funny.

"What do you think about the fact that you're a Queenling, Oliwa?" Willa's mother asked.

Wait... that wasn't how this memory went.