The Girl of Ossetia

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Sitting around the fire made her feel at ease. The sun had disappeared behind the ocean, and a cold breeze had begun sweeping up the beach. The flames drew warmth, and as everyone had finished their meal, they rested their heads upon dry logs or heaping mounds of sand. The sound of the waves crashing drew an easy feeling across the group, and closed them into silence. Luinil was propped up against a dry log, her dark hair wet and covering her face as she drifted into a light slumber. As time went on, each of them fell to sleep, besides Saelam and Arrana; whom was actually sprawled out under the covers, pretending to sleep.

After many hours, the white figure began to dance just at the corners of her closed eyes. She gritted her teeth, feeling rather weary, but sat up slowly, looking to the left. The moon hung over the sand dunes, dying them silver, the fire was slowly dying out, but still had warmth oozing out, pleading her to stay. But the figure danced behind her closed eyes, danced over the dunes. Arrana looked at her warm blanket, and at everyone’s sleeping figures, listened to the soft snores of Cav and Ged. She looked over at Saelam, who was propped upwards in a half-hearted attempt to watch, but had fallen asleep. Arrana smiled gently, and pulled herself out of the blankets.

The wind pushed around her as she silently stalked up the dune, looking back often, but when she reached the top, she exhaled slowly, and pushed onward. The grass beneath her feet was buoyant and lush with fresh dew. The rolling hills stretched on for miles upon miles before her.

Under the rather plump, waning moon, she walked, still rather unsure of where she was going. Yet she was walking in a rather determined gate. She floated, lankily striding to whatever destination was impending upon her soul. Every once in a while she would pause, closing her eyes to watch the thin white figure float what looked like far in front of her.

The moon hung high overhead now, and she paused to look back. The dunes were far away, and the sound of crashing waves no longer met her ears. Still no one had noticed her absence and pursued her. She turned back to whatever drew her forward, and gently smiled. An enigmatic smile, coming from somewhere she did not know the origin of. She pushed forth into a bound, running across this open area, under the moonlight. For a few moments she forgot her destiny, forgot her meaning in life and ran, bare feet squishing in the soft turf, plowing up a hill, when suddenly upon the brink of the hill hundreds of horses; whom were residing peacefully at the unseen top, grazing – scattered quickly.

Arrana stooped to a pause, watching the beautiful creatures go cascading down the hill, tinted to blue in the dim light of midnight. She breathed heavily, smiling as she watched them power across the hills before her. She slowly walked after them, a warm wind pushed up against her, tossing those autumn locks across her pale shoulders, which were broadly raised to the night.

Down the hill she descended, along a sweeping pit between hills was where she stopped, her senses suddenly tingling. She closed her eyes, the white figure floated just in front of her now. For a while she just lingered there, eyes gently closed, breathing slowly. It was a rather nice feeling, Arrana presumed; the quiet hum of silence and crickets. Yet after sometime, something became of the quiet.

A voice.

A very soft, knowledgeable voice, with the slightest hints of affection curling at the edges. Arrana’s eyes cracked open to see where it had come from, the simple “Hello.” Nothing revealed itself, and she took a tentative step back. Her heart began to thrum in her chest, not a heavy, terrified thrum, just a curious one. One that chugged slowly, a glugging noise that muffled out much noise in the ears.  She did not dare say anything, just stood stock-still and waited again.

Now much longer, and a dim white light began to glimmer in the grass before her. She stared in awe, still unable to move. The light conformed to one little area, before it very slowly leaked into the air in one long, smoky white curl. Her eyes moved up with it as it rose, and formed a figure, and a rather distinct one.

It was a woman, now pale and translucent, floating above the ground in a long gown that faded to foggy curls. Her nose was pointed, and cheekbones distinct, lips long and thin, eyebrows raised in the most discreet manner. She had long, pin straight translucent hair which hung to her waist. Yet the most striking feature was her eyes; pale, possibly the palest blue Arrana had ever seen. Wide and all-seeing it looked-if. The pupils stark white, and staring straight at her, and as soon as they had fully seen and processed the prodigy, a look melted across the woman’s face, softening her features.

Arrana could feel her lips parting in slight awe, blinking rapidly as though doing so would make the apparition appear more believable. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew this woman, and knew her well, yet she knew she had never once met her in her life. At last, the figure spoke in that knowledgeable voice.

“Arrana. Good Gindros, at last.”  She said, her voice, all-though her lips were barely moving, was clearly projected into Arrana’s mind. At last? Now Arrana felt an eerie crawl come creeping up her spine. Still, she was very silent. The woman laughed a soft, trill noise that bounced off of every thought in her mind.

“I am Nuae, The Seer.” She stated after a moment. It all clicked, and the girl inhaled quickly, staring up at her. “Or, more formally known as the one who prophesized about you many… many years ago.”

This made her head turn, and eyes go bleary. The pungent scent of spring grass became more nauseating than pleasant. The idea that she was meeting someone who had seen her centuries ago was nearly incomprehensible. Her mouth was dry, jaw welded together, Nuae drifted for a while – patiently smiling at the girl.

After some time, she finally whimpered a feeble ‘Hello’. She ducked her head in shame at the fact she could not find anything better to say to someone of such importance. Nuae seemed to pick up on this, and sent more tender laughter tumbling into her brain.

“I’m glad you came, you finally began to notice me.” The Seer said affectionately, drifting in a circle around her, looking at her up and down with those pale eyes. Arrana let out a tight breath, glancing back over at her shoulder at the figure.

“That was you, wasn’t it?” Realization spreading warmly throughout her body as she questioned this.

“Yes, my dear. Yet, it is taking much of my… energy to appear to you like this. It is much easier to just remain upon the curtains of your mind.”

Arrana blinked several times, her brow furrowing as she thought.

“So, why did you only begin showing me yourself since the beginning of this… adventure?” She hesitated a moment, turning around to face Nuae.

“I’ve always been here, Arrana. You just began to realize me fully.” Her gaunt face pulled into a smile, her cold, pale fingers stroked the girl’s face.

“But… why exactly are you here?” She asked after a silent pause to listen to the crickets. She departedly thought of the time a few nights before her birthday party, as she sat in the ridge of her favorite branch upon her favorite tree outside of her window, looking up through the twist of leaves and branches to the night sky. The crickets had been singing rather beautiful songs that night. The memory ran chills up her spine, and a sick longing for her home burned inside of her.

“Guiding you. Taking the route your soul is telling me.” She whispered, and Arrana stared at her. The crickets sang again.

“But... wouldn’t my soul be telling me?” She felt her mind racing as she desperately tried to decipher all of this.

“Well, Arrana, it is all very confusing. In a way, I am part of you; the prophecy did not just randomly happen upon me. Gindros would have many more answers to your questions than I do, yet if you would like to see upon the past; that may clear up a few things for you.” Nuae breathed out patiently, holding out her cold hand. Arrana stared at it for a moment, debating on this.

Gindros? Was that not the Creature of All Living? Wasn’t he a thing of legends? The questions roamed unanswered as she stood still for a cricket chirp, before slowly placing her hand in hers. Nuae smiled gently, before the ground suddenly dropped out from underneath them so quickly that there was no time for her to scream.