Sorceress

Chapter 15

Melena smiled at my exhausted form.

“It seems as though you have had some adventures since I last saw you,” she said smiling, her eyes running over my face.

It was many months later that Melena explained what I looked like as I trudged up the road towards her waiting figure.

“I could see you in the distance, your head down, shoulders hunched, the cloak held in one hand.  Your dress was filthy and ripped.  You looked like some beggar off the streets.  I knew it was you from the way you walked.  You have a certain sway, like a lazy stroll on a summers day.  There was no urgency in your stride, even when you saw my waiting figure, you managed to maintain an easy grace.  As you came closer, I could see you were quite burnt, no doubt from the day’s sun on your delicate skin.  You were quite the sight actually, your skin red as a tomato with two bruised and yellowing eyes, rimmed in blood and your hair standing in all directions.  I think you may even have had a stick in your hair.  If I did not know you, I never would have believed you if you’d told me you were the daughter of a King.  What a mess you were Morgana!” she laughed.

The moment I recognized that it was Melena waiting for me on the side on the empty road, I wanted to throw myself into her arms and weep in happiness.  As it was, I did not have the energy to lift my arms, much less throw them around a person, and I certainly did not have enough water in my body to shed tears.  I came to a stop in front of her, swaying slightly. 

“I must admit Morgana, I was prepared to see you in some kind of state, but it was not this,” Melena said stepping forward and handing me a water skin that was tied to her waist.  I lifted it to my mouth, drinking greedily, water running down my chin.  It was only a moment before I started choking on it and was forced to regurgitate most of what I had just drunk.

“I think it best that we move quickly, you are in a far sorrier state than I had expected,” Melena said to my heaving form. 

She whistled loudly in the air causing me to look up at her.  I briefly wondered what on earth she could be whistling for or to, since there was absolutely nothing in the surrounding area.  I would have seen it while walking, given that the land was completely flat with no trees for miles.  I was greatly surprised then to see two horses, fully saddled trotting down the road from the opposite direction I had just come.

“Can you ride?” She asked looking worriedly at me.

I nodded my assent, sending a quick prayer of thanks to Our Mother for allowing me to get off of my aching feet.  In reality, I had never ridden a horse before in my life, as the convent had little time teaching us how to ride one, but I could not bear the thought of taking one more step on my own two feet.  I am sure Melena already knew this, and if she did not, it quickly became apparent as I struggled to mount the animal.  I managed to rip my dress even further by stepping on the hem while putting my foot in the stirrup.  It was with much pushing on Melena’s part and very little effort of my own that I managed to get into the saddle.

“We are but an hour's ride, Morgana,” she said as we started off at a walk.

Despite my aching and exhausted body I enjoyed being on the horse.  Its gentle swaying as we made our way down the road almost lulled me into sleep several times with only Melena’s sharp utterance of my name to keep me from slipping sideways from the saddle.

We arrived at a large manor shortly before sun down.  As we approached, Melena handed me my cloak.

“You must put this back on Morgana, and make sure you pull the hood up to cover your face.  I cannot have the servants seeing you in such a state.”

I dutifully slipped the cloak on.   Since the moment I had seen Melena on the road, I had not said a word.  It seemed my voice had once again deserted me.