Olive

Chapter 5

 "Where were you? I thought something had gone wrong!" Aisyah rushed over to Olive to make sure she was alright.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. There was just this person and...yeah. But everything's okay now. Barely a scratch on me." Olive hastily stood up, still flustered from what had just happened.

Her uncle looked her over suspiciously. "Alright. Remember Olive, you need to be careful. There are people looking for you now."

"Yes, I know, I know. I'll be extra safe. Now can we please continue on? I don't want to be here any longer than we have to be." Olive looked over her shoulder at the portal and thought of the man on the other side. She shook her head. Focus Olive.

"Yes, of course. The sooner the we get moving, the quicker we can rescue your mother." Her uncle started walking down the path. "If we continue at this pace, we'll be arriving at the Gnome King's Palace in two days time."

"Okay." Olive drifted off into silence.

After some time had passed, Aisyah noticed the downcast look on Olive's face. "Are you sure everything's alright dear?"

"Yeah."

You know, it's okay to be afraid. You have every right to be."

"I'm not." Olive paused. "Okay, maybe a little bit. I was just thinking-" She stopped.

"What is it? You can talk to me." Aisyah encouraged.

"How did my father die?"

He frowned. "Is that really what you were thinking?" When Olive didn't answer, he continued, "I found him a little ways down from your house. He was bleeding out from a side wound...but I don't think you need to know the details. I carried his body to my house and then went directly to Olea. I remembered seeing blood on her apron but I had thought nothing of it at the time. This was just when your Marks appeared. When I approached her, she was standing over you, watching you sleep. I was suspicious at first, I didn't believe she could have done it. But when I asked to talk with her, I knew. I knew it because she looked at me as if daring me to say something about it. It was the look in her eyes that scared me. She told me that if I said anything to you, or tried to take you away from her, she would find me and kill me. Fearing for my life, I kept silent. But I told myself that I would always be near you. Try to train you the way your father wanted. I thought that if I did that, my brother might forgive me in the Afterlife." Aisyah stopped there, thinking about the past and his decisions and where they've gotten him.

Olive was thoughtful for a long time. "You did what you thought you needed to do. My mother really is pretty crazy, huh?" Olive said, trying to make light in a heavy conversation.

"She is ill. I've tried over the years to get her help, but she wouldn't take it. I think she's become so consumed with her traditions and rules that the thought of Aaron making you into a warrior, scared her to death."

"Well, I became one anyway."

"Yes, and I think that only drove her more over the edge." Aisyah shook his head. "I think it's a very honorable thing what you're doing. After all she's done. Your father would be proud of you."

"I hope so."

By the end of the second day, Olive could start to see the tall towers of the castle. The flags displaying the Gnome King's emblem made sure everyone who saw them know exactly who was ruling this kingdom. Olive felt the tingling sense of anticipation that had become familiar to her over the last two days. Fighting an assassin who preferred to talk instead of fight was one thing, while fighting the king who definitely does want to her dead was an entirely different thing.

"How about we stop here for the night? We can plan and figure out what to do in the morning but I think right now, a good night's rest is the best thing for us." Aisyah motioned for her to come over to where he was setting up an area for them to stay the night. "I'll go gather some firewood, okay? I'll be right back."

Olive nodded a yes before sitting down to clear a space for the fire. She couldn't stop thinking about what was to come. Would her mother be safe? Has the King already killed her? And the most important question she still did not know the answer to: could she defeat the Gnome King? Her uncle had been giving her all his knowledge about him on the way. He was said to be surrounded by only the best warriors in all the land. He was trained from the ancestors themselves, bestowing on him the most powerful and strongest Marks. He also carried around the title of never being defeated in battle. It was going to be impossible. She had no hope of ever getting her mother out there alive. A fool's errand was all this ever was. Her mother probably didn't even expect her to come for her. She never believed in Olive anyway. Stop. Stop it Olive. 'Negativity gives way to doubt and doubt to failure'. Come on girl. Believe in yourself. Olive closed her eyes and thought of her father. He would expect her to finish this journey. He would tell her not to give up, to be strong in the face of adversity. She opened her eyes again. Her Marks were glowing. She smiled to herself. You're right dad. I got this.