Dryads and Nymphs

Chapter 20-Confrontations

The next morning Ariana was running around the kitchen, helping her mother make breakfast, humming lightly. She had slept lightly, and had woken early feeling refreshed.

“Ari will you check on the bread?” her mother asked.

Ariana bent down to check on the bread, opening the oven. She shut her eyes against the bright light and heat. And image of Aron flashed in her head, as soon as she closed her eyes. She sighed, and opened her eyes, straightening up slowly. This had been happening to her since she had woken up.

Last night she had come home and collapsed on her bed, tiered but happy, only to wake up a little after dawn, her head full of images of Aron. Aron laying on the ground staring at her. Aron sitting on his horse, looking at her with that surprised expression on his face. Aron craning his neck back to look at her. It was impossible to forget him, no matter how hard she tried to-though she was not sure if she was trying or not. She was having trouble concentrating on everything.

“Ari, are you alright? I asked if the bread is burning but you are not answering,” her mother said sounding exasperated.

She dropped to the ground to check on the bread again. It was on the verge of turning black, the top turning a dark drown. She quickly pulled it out of the oven.

“Ariana can I talk to you?” It was Dylan, peering anxiously into the kitchen. Taking her hands out of the thick gloves, she went out of the kitchen. Dylan was looking at her with a mixture of bemusement and worry.

“What is it?” she found herself asking.

“Uh, well your father called me and he says that he wants me to train you on how to use a bow,” he said, still looking at her with worry.

“Okay,” she said, distractedly, “Is that all?”

“Uh no. he also said that you should be ready to participate in the uprising by next week. He will see how well you can shoot at the end of next week.”

“He wants me to take part in it? To not only support him but also me an active member of the rebellion?” she asked incredulously.

Dylan who appeared to be preparing for the worst said nothing. Ariana stormed outside, still fuming. Why had she agreed to her father’s plan in the first place? Right now, she could not even remember the reason. She sat down on the grass, staring off into the distance.

He wanted Dylan to teach her how to shoot possibly innocent people just at his order. How could he even think that? She would never do that, not in a million years. Suddenly she remembered that she had left the bow at the lake. She had been meaning to ask Aron to teach her, but now she would not be caught dead with a bow and arrow. She heard Dylan’s footsteps behind her, before hearing his voice say, “I’m sorry Ariana. It was your father’s orders. If it makes you feel better he said that Maryse could train with you too.”

“It doesn’t make me feel better Dylan,” she said through clenched teeth. “In fact I think I will go tell my father that.”

With that, she was off, running down the village path, pushing people aside. She heard Dylan calling her name, shouting for her to stop, but she didn’t pay any head to him. She arrived at the stables, and stomped inside through the open gates. Her father was near the entrance, his back to her, shouting at a nearby boy.

She suddenly felt strong hands clamp around her arms, pulling her backwards. Realizing that Dylan had caught up with her and was holding her back, she shouted at the top of her voice, before Dylan could pull her away.

“You are despicable! You are a disgrace to this village! You think all of this will help but it won’t. You-,” she was cut off as a hand came down on her mouth, clamping it shut, and muffling her shouts.