Bard of Laketown

Chapter Four

UNKNOWN POV
A number of dark figures creep through the shadow of the trees. They are silent as mist, getting closer towards their destination. Their faces are mangled and hideous, with sharp, razor-like teeth, bumpy skin. They speak in frightening grunts and roars, coming ever nearer.

AREYA'S POV
I start shivering almost as soon as the coat leaves my shoulders. I make sure not to show it, though, because I don't want Bard to feel guilty and give it back to me. I think of his children, probably still asleep in their small house. If something happens to them it will be my fault. I can't help but feeling glad that Bard came along with me, though, seeing the state I was in when he found me.

FLASHBACK
"Do I need to tell you again how dangerous it is outside of Mirkwood?" A deep, majestic voice says. The voice belongs to an Elf sitting on a throne made of woven branches.

"No, your Majesty. Forgive me." Areya keeps her eyes on the ground, not daring to look up.

"From now on, you will have guards looking after you, to make sure you don't try and run again."

"Please, don't do that! It will not happen again, I assure you."

"No, it most certainly will not."

***

I shake my head to get rid of the memory. I despised that day, when I was found running through the forest and got dragged back into the castle, and dropped on my knees I'm front of the king. That was exactly one week before I had left, thinking my new life would be so much better. How wrong I was. If I had just stayed there, none of this would have happened.

"How long was I in your house?" I ask.

"About seven days." He keeps his eyes on the lake.

"Seven! It felt less than half of that!"

"That tends to happen when you're feverish."

"Oh."

"Your fever isn't gone yet. Our medicine can't get rid of it completely."

"That's alright. You still saved me."

The first rays of sunlight are creeping up into the sky when the boat finally reaches the other end of the lake.

Bard jumps out and jams a wooden stake into the hard ground, ensuring that the boat isn't going to drift away.

He takes two packs from the boat and hands one to me.

"Were you planning to take me back as soon as possible?" I say, feeling a little hurt.

He looks up. "No, I just never know when I'll need extra supplies."

"Oh, of course." I feel like an idiot for asking such simple questions.

He takes out a water skin from his pack and sticks it under his shirt, motioning for me to do the same.

I do, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "Why do I need to do this?"

"Your water will freeze in a matter of minutes if you don't."

I shove the water skin down into the neckline of my dress.

Putting the pack over my shoulder, I follow Bard into the snow.

THREE WEEKS EARLIER

Areya slings her bow and quiver over her shoulder and looks in her soft leather boot to make sure her pair of long silver knives are tucked in securely.

She grabs a warm, forest green cloak and ties it around her neck, draping the hood low over her eyes.

Areya takes one last glance around the beautiful rooms, certain she'll never return to this prison.

Opening the door and glancing down the halls, she sighs in relief. There is nobody in sight. Her pack is full with water skins, lembas bread, Elvish medicines, and strips of cloth for binding wounds.

She slips away into the forest, vowing never to return.

PRESENT TIME

How wrong I was to have those thoughts. Did I really think I could make it by myself, out in a world I didn't know?? I wasn't one of the high-ranking guards, in fact, I was one of the lowest steps in the ladder that made up the fighters.

I was good with a bow and my knives, to be sure, but 'good' wasn't going to save our lives out here in the wilderness.

Up ahead, Bard's form is barely visible throughout the gusts of snow. He stops and starts walking back towards me, but I run lightly on top of the snow until I reach him.

"What were you doing?" he asks.

"Thinking."

"Maybe save that for when you're back, safe and sound in Mirkwood."

"I would hardly call it safe."

"No doubt it is safer than out here."

We struggle on through the snow. It takes a lot to wear me out, but even I am getting a bit tired with the constant winds and biting snow.

I can't see Bard's face through the flurries, but I know he must be exhausted. His boots break through the snow with every step, going up to his shins.

I have never been more glad of having a light foot before.

After what feels like hours later, Bard gestures further south. "We need to make sure we're always heading in that direction."

"Why are we walking? Is there not a river that runs into Mirkwood?" I say, confused.

"This time of year, the river's nearly frozen solid. And there aren't any trees to give us shelter if we're on the river, either."

"I see."

We stop in front of a towering pine tree, with a thick, worn trunk and sweet smelling needles on its boughs.

"We camp here for the night."

I look up and see that the winter sun is sinking down into the horizon. I had been walking with my head down for so long, I hadn't realized that it was so late.

We scoop away as much of the snow as we can from around the trunk. I sit against it, feeling the cold water soak into my clothes and skin almost immediately. I don't feel nearly as cold as when Bard found me, but I had been wandering for days without food or water then. I pull out my water skin and dribble a tiny stream onto my tongue.

It barely does anything to quench my thirst, but if I drink more, my water supply would be gone in just two days.

I open my pack and find a warm woven blanket, which I immediately wrap around my shoulders. The blanket has beautiful threads of red, green, yellow, and blue.

Bard pulls another out of his pack, only this one is brown, red, and orange.

"Sigrid and Tilda made these," he says.

"They're beautiful."

I take some dried fish from my pack and sniff it.

"Have you never had fish before?" Bard asks incredulously.

I shake my head. "Elves only eat growing things, vegetables and fruits. Meat is not permitted."

"Well, surely you'll have to eat it now."

I tentatively take a bit of one of the pink strips. It tastes as it smells, but it's still good. I finish the strip and then press up against Bard's broad shoulder. I fall asleep as soon as I close my eyes.