Through The Door

A Sudden Sense of Urgency

Rionen was doing no better the next afternoon. He could be getting worse, Maia thought. But she didn’t really know. Kirian suddenly burst into the tent.

“Ed’s back.”

“Great!” Maia replied, then turned back to the still-unconscious Rionen. “Now we can get out of this dreadful place,” she muttered. Once she had gotten her things ready, Maia stepped out of the tent.

“Hey Maia!”

She looked up and saw Kirian at the head of a covered wagon. Edmund sat next to him, grinning.

“Now we won’t have to squish two people on each horse! Thanks, Ed,” Maia said, and loaded her things into the wagon.

“It was nothing, really.”

“I still don’t think it was ‘nothing’.”

Edmund shrugged. Sure, he had to get through a little bit of trouble to get it, but that didn’t matter too much. Maia had enough on her shoulders already. Kirian’s grunt cut his thoughts short.

“...and that is the last of it,” Kirian said, loading an armful of things in the back of the wagon. “Then there’s only one tent left. Hey, Ed.”

“Huh? Oh, right. Both of you can get in now. I can handle the rest.”

Maia stepped in from the back and made her way to the front. A few minutes later, Edmund sat down beside her and took the reins.

“Kirian, you alright in the back?” He looked over his shoulder, and Kirian gave him a thumbs-up. “Good. We should be ready to leave. Yah!”

Maia turned around as they left, and saw the dark shadow that was Alexander’s dwelling. She shivered at the thought that it would still be in view for the rest of their journey, and possibly even in view once they got to Arsenios. Even though it was a week ago, Alexander’s laugh still echoed in her head.

“Behold! Arsenios the Strong.” Edmund cracked the whip and the horses picked up the pace.

Kirian looked around. There were several villages surrounding them, but a few hundred meters away was a grand city of white stone, bordered by a great wall. A castle stood proudly in the middle.

“Woah,” Kirian breathed.

From the back, he heard Maia yawn. She had taken the reins last night and slept through the whole day. “We there yet?”

“Nope, but almost. You can miss the view if you want. It’s especially beautiful in the sunset.” Kirian smirked.

“Huh?” Maia went up to the front. “Wow! Kir, move down to the back.”

She pushed him off his seat, and he went to sit at the back beside Rionen, who still hadn’t woken up. He was doing no better but no worse, Maia had said. Kirian felt a stab of pity as he looked at Rionen’s pale face and wounds. Something struck him. There was something different, something wrong, but he couldn’t quite get what it was.

“Maia!”

“Yeah?”

“There’s something wrong, but I can’t quite get what it is.”

Maia scrambled to the back, even though the wagon was moving at a fairly quick pace. She stumbled, but Kirian caught her just in time.

“Oh no.”

Edmund quickly snuck a look at them for a second, then turned his eyes back onto the road. “Is there something wrong?”

“Rionen has an infection… a fever is starting up. We should hurry!”

“If you want to switch spots, do it now,” Edmund commanded. Kirian quickly took the seat beside Edmund just as the horses’ speed quickened.

“How long do we have until we reach the city?” Maia said from the back.

“Just a few more minutes, maybe ten,” Edmund yelled.

After a while, the wagon rolled to a stop.

“Halt!” a guard’s voice yelled. “Who goes there?”

“Edmund, commander of the Fourth Company.”

“Are you travelling with anyone?”

“Three companions.”

“Are they friends of Argonen?”

“Yes.”

“I trust that they have their Right of Passage papers. You may go.”

The wagon rolled on. Kirian and Maia exchanged glances. Right of Passage papers? Oh no.

“Uh oh,” Kirian said, loud enough that only his sister could hear.

“Yeah, I know. I think they’re like passports.”

“Should… should we tell him?”

“Probably not. If ever, not right now. We have more important things to worry about. Now go back to your seat.”

“Right.”