The Elemental Song

Chapter 8 The Hairpin

"Princess, please eat." At Eryk's request the princess just shook her head silently. Sigh. "Very well then. We can rest for a little while longer but soon we will have to head out again. For now, rest." Skyrah leaned back against a tree with Ziff and closed her eyes. Cling! Skyrah's pack fell over and a few items fell out. Eryk moved over to put them back and saw the hair pin Zhenya gave Skyrah for her birthday. She's still holding on to something like this? Eryk put the hair pin in his pocket and put everything else away.

Eryk woke Skyrah, "it's time to go, but before we do I'd like to give you something." Skyrah looked up and Eryk pulled out a magnificent bow with a quiver that held many magnificent arrows. He also held out a gorgeous silver dagger. They both were engraved with the same symbol that was on her lower back along with the symbol for the Dragon of Life. Although they were very precious and beautiful there was no doubt that they were deadly as well. Skyrah took the gifts but her mood didn't seem to change to much. "They're a gift for your birthday. You might need them. We need to get going now." They continued on their journey quietly for a few days, avoiding guards and people at all costs, resting for a little bit everyday before having to set out again. Word spread in a span of a few hours of King Ryan's murder and a ceremony was performed the day after his death. The rain gradually stopped pouring and now the sky was just grey and gloomy. Skyrah was getting weaker and weaker. She wouldn't eat, wouldn't speak, wouldn't do anything by herself. She would only walk and follow Eryk if he took her hand. Ziff would only go where Skyrah went. "We'll set up camp here tonight." Again, no response came. Eryk built a small fire and laid out some sleeping pallets. Skyrah just stared into the flames of the fire. Suddenly, she stood up and and looked around. Ziff stood up as well but Skyrah motioned for him to stay. "Did you lose something princess?" Skyrah stopped and shook her head. You don't need something like that princess, you don't need it at all. Skyrah started walking away. Eryk grabbed her hand, "where are you going?" Skyrah just stared at him. Bathroom? Eryk released her hand, "be quick and don't go too far."

Skyrah walked around searching, not knowing where she was going or how long she had been gone. She kept looking, where is it? A wave of memories about Zhenya and the night of her father's death bombarded her mind and she fell to her knees crying. Skyrah looked up to the raining night sky. "WHY?!" She suddenly heard a hiss. She looked over and saw a snake. In an instant the snake was severed in half and Eryk and Ziff were by her side. "I was beginning to worry princess. Why did you run off?! Do you want to die?!" Ziff growled and there was more hissing.

Eryk looked around at all the snakes that had suddenly appeared. This is their den?! "Hang on princess, we'll get you out of here." Eryk picked Skyrah up and ran with Ziff by his side. A snake lunged and bit Eryk but Ziff lopped of his head with his claws. Eryk growled and kept running back to the campsite.

Eryk finished bandaging his leg and looked up, only to see the princess staring at him. "I'm okay, a single snake bite can't take me down." Eryk reached into his pocket and took out the hairpin. "Is this what you were looking for?" Skyrah gently took it from his hand and stared at it. The princess moved on her own for the first time just to go searching for that. Anything is fine as long as it sustains her, even if she can't throw it away just yet.