The Girl of Ossetia

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

After the sun had risen well above their heads, and had begun its descent to the hills, they had gathered round a dwindling fire and begun feasting on rabbit. Many questions were answered pertaining to the lingering thought of the wolf attack from Duager. Rocthor had told her that there was an underground tunnel leading from the base of the mountainous stretch to the heart of the macab city. It was a mystery, though, to Aspura to exactly where the pass opened. He even had once tried to follow the wolves, yet they had vanished beyond the thick tree's at the base of the mountain, and he did not question further. 

Still, with the spring chill in the air, it was a comfortable sit. Arrana lounged, staring up at the pale sky for a while, tracing and retracing over the puckered scars upon her arm. In the back of her mind she half listened to the buzzing conversations around her, some about the rather easy Northern trip up to the Forests of Aspura, which wrapped around the lower half of the Mountain. That was their next move, according to Saelam. 

Arrana closed her eyes for a while as the numerous conversations were held, and let the black cape of her eyes dance. Again, upon the oily blackness slid Nuae, whose white body had grown more distinct in shape, but was still a frail white being upon the black currents of thought. In this particular time, Arrana watched as Nuae simply floated forth, before dropping out of sight, or really, her thought. Again, the vision would repeat itself. It was very clear, yet so distantly familiar she had became so infatuated with it, all other noise had drained away.

She sat, eyes closed, lips trembling to the outer world, and watched this play over and over again. It was when her name was called from somewhere, that she was slightly pulled from her subconscious. Again, called, and it was then she realized it wasn't her mind, and her eyes flickered open. Saelam stooped over her, a confused look on his face. 

"We're getting ready to go." He said, rather softly. She had been wedged upon the ground, her head on a log, autumn hair sprawled out. He stared down at her for a moment, before helping her up. She hobbled gently around, laughing nervously. 

"What is that?" Saelam questioned, pointing at the necklace that had fallen from concealment under her shirt. The pink pendant shown in the sun, and she cautiously covered it with her hand and pushed it back under her shirt. The emotion was foreign to her exactly why she was so frantic, but she bowed her head, wrinkling her nose.

"Nothing." She said simply, before pushing away from Saelam, and gracefully swung her bow and quiver upon her back, and equally as gracefully grabbed a thick piece of grass and tied her autumn hair back from her pale face. She smiled down at Cav and Ged, who hefted their axes with a grunt, and bowed  to the girl. She kneeled down to them, tilting her head curiously. 

"Why do you bow to me?" She questioned, shrugging her shoulders. They looked at eachother, their naturally rosey cheeks flushed, belting out a loud chuckle. 

"Force of habbit, my lady." Cav said with that thick and rather rugged accent. "We bow to royalty." 

"But, I am not royalty." Her smile dropped, and she balanced herself while kneeling.

"Then, what are you?" Ged questioned, quietly. Silence followed, and Arrana looked down, not necessarily sure herself. She shook her head, letting out a long, affectionate breath. She stood, tall and frail, shrugging her shoulders before walking over to her horse, who was already saddled, and bagged with food for the travel, and mounted up. 

Everyone followed, mounting up, gathering reins, the squeal of leather, flick of tails, nervous shuffle of hooves. Luinil glanced over at the girl, smiling, her dark eyes squinting beautifully. Arrana smiled back, tilting her head, eyes drifting to Saelam, who was talking to Rocthor. 

"You should reach the forest by night fall. My kinsman Sakat will be awaiting you." The tall man said, patting Saelam's mount, before walking over to Arrana. He looked up at her, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

"I hope you well in your travels, and I wish to see you again." He said softly. She nodded, her face flushing, biting her tongue. 

"Goodbye, Rocthor." She said as swiftly as possible, before heeling her horse into a canter towards whatever was awaiting. 

The hills were beginning to dye to a pinkish orange with the sinking sun. Long shadows mimicked the figures who continusouly moved throughout the dips. Very far in the distance, the peeks protecting Duager were seen in a shrowding, evening mist. Not as far off, where the dark Aspuran trees.

With the easy walk, they often saw wild horses grazing, an occasional rabbit skittering through the under brush. It was rather quiet, besides the shuffling and breathing, and with it, Arrana pushed up next to Saelam, whose eyes had a far off look in them.

"So what is the plan?" She sighed, leaning back, pricking an eyebrow. He looked over at her with an agitated expression, rolling his shoulders. 

"I don't have the capacity to tell you right now. It's simple, think, Arrana. What did Rocthor say earlier?" He said breathily, turning his face away, focusing in front. Another bout of anger and frustration welled up inside of her. 

"Why don't you ever answer my questions, Saelam? What did I ever do to you to make you such a stone faced monster?" She screamed at him, silence fell behind them, and an angry tension filled the air. It was then that he did something no one had expected.

Arrana hit the ground with a dusty clap and a shocked look washed over her face. He had shoved her clean out the saddle. Luinil furiously shouted at Saelam and advanced at him, and within the moment, Arrana had skittered to her feet, unsheathing an arrow from it's quiver, binding it with a twang and furiously aimed it at his skull. She let out a livid breath.

"Give me one reason not to end your life right now." She spat bitterly. Everyone's eyes fell on her, the air was tense, no one had ever seen this behavior come from her. The whites of her knuckles showed as she adjusted her grip on the bow, her lips quivering, nostrils flaring, eyes burning. Saelam wheeled his horse around, his eyes glinting with a sharp and knowing look. He opened his mouth to say something, but a dry breath was let out and his eyes moved to something behind her. He squinted, and then a dreaded look fell across his features.

Arrana turned slowly, looking over her shoulder and lessoning the bind on the arrow. It had grown rather dark within the past quarreling minutes, darker then they had realized. Something far in the distance, upon the brink of sight were 3 figures. Dark indeed, and large. 

"Go, go straight for the forest." Saelam ordered, and that they did. Arrana backed up to Gunsynd, swinging back up into the saddle, gathering the reins. The horse snorted hideously, crow-hopping away from whatever was approaching. 

"What is it?" Arrana said, looking back at the figures. 

"I don't know, but they're not friendly." He said firmly, before turning his horse towards the North. 

"Now you answer me." She said heatedly under her breath, before they took off down the hill.