Cut Your Losses and Run

Year 2 of the New Reign 

Come, come a little closer. I won't bite. No, no that is all right, I don't want or need your money. Yes, yes, I promise, no spells or curses. Though one must wonder at your courage, if you truly thought I was a wicked witch. I am just a tired, old woman with a few special skills and knowledge beyond even my many years. 

You ask my name, but that is not what you want to know, you know who I am. No, you've come to ask me about Her. You ask me if I can read your mind, so you've heard the tales. But I have no need to read you mind, I know, because you are not the first young one in these hard times to ask this tale of me. They all want to know the story, why should you be any different? 

 I shall indulge you, but why don't you take a seat. Get comfortable, we... will be here for a while.

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Year 10  of the Ainean Reign

"Zaila!" A young woman trenched through the dead brown leaves covering the ground. Her face was glistening pale with sweat from the long hike uphill a streak of dirt appearing on her forehead as she stopped to take a breath and reached up to wipe away the sweat on her brow.

"Dear God, please forgive me, but I'm afraid I'm going to kill her this time!" She muttered looking with disgust at the dirt on her black shoes and the brown stains on her previously pristine white apparal, which she noted that she had only just gotten from the baths that morning.

The mystery and glory of the forest around her went unnoticed as she contemplated how to best make her friend pay for the unexpected and unappreciated early morning treck.  She bent down resting her forearms on her knees trying to regain her breath.

"If I don't find her soon, we will both get in trouble." Standing up, she cupped her hands around her scowling mouth and called again, "Zaila! Where are you!" The resounding echoes made her shiver emphasizing the early morning silence she hadn't noticed when her attention was focused on navigating the fallen tree branches and protruding roots. Uncoordinated as she was, she had still managed to trip over quite a few things, explaining the dirt on her hands and clothes. 

Continuing down the old dirt path that she had followed from the Sanctuary, she felt more and more nervous as the path thinned and slowly faded away until it completely disappeared. It was here that she stopped at so to speak "the end of the road". At least it was for her, for others it was just the beginning, but at this moment she could not take one step further, as if an invisible barrier prevented her from any forward momentum. She stared at the line not marked but so clear in her mind and heart and took a deep breath. She would go no further, but she would yell all the louder to attract her wild friend's attention. 

"Zaila! You better come quick! Elderess Althea is looking for you!" She paused listening for a response but she was greeted with nothing but the silence of the woods. "Fine, fine! Don't come out! But this time I won't cover for you Zaila. I won't! I am tired of scrubbing pots and mucking out stables every time I get in trouble covering for you." She stomped her foot in her defience making her seem younger than her sixteen years and paused again hoping for a reply. 

She bit her lip not knowing whether to leave or try and call out again. She walked backwards a few steps before calling out again, "I'm really leaving Zaila! You are on your own. I hope you are prepared to face the Elders, because this time I'm not going to help you get off easy!" She turned around and took a few more steps back towards the Sanctuary before taking a last look back. She took a deep breath swallowing the feelings of guilt that had always previously made her bail Zaila out of her various misadventures and walked away.