Of Winds And Quakes

51. The Highlands

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
The Highlands
Altsas

Alysia

IT'S TWILIGHT when we enter the deserted plains of the highlands. There is nothing but acres and acres of rustling trees and whistling breeze. I've become suddenly uneasy, it just dawned on me that we are going to spend time here, the sooner I get out of here the better.

Our pace has slowed down greatly, and any moment from now, I'll fall off this horse from exhaustion and spend the night unconscious, tomorrow morning too.

"When are we going to get there?" I whine.

"Where?" Kyan asks, his eyes set ahead.

"I don't know. The place you deem fitting for hiking or whatever," I snap.

Kyan chuckles. He is clearly amused by me. "Well, we aren't hiking. I decided camping will be more like it."

I curse mentally, hating him at this moment. I'm tired, and sweaty, and thirsty and starving and we haven't even gotten to a suitable resting place yet. 

We enter a clearing with knee high shrubs and grasses, I raise my head to the darkening sky suddenly realising how late it is.

"Welcome to the Highlands of Altsas!" Kyan announces proudly. His eyes skim around and he dismounts Fire.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

He walks to me ignoring my question. "Come down."

I blink. Then realising what he means, I lean into his arms and he helps me down. When my feet touch the ground, my knees buckle and I groan as pain shoots up my legs, I fall forward and Kyan catches me, holding me against his chest. The heavy beating of his heart thumping against my ear. I sigh, the  breathy whisper is muffled as I bury my head in his shoulder.

"My legs... I can't stand," I muster breath to say.

Kyan grunts, he sucks in a sharp breath. "I know, you shouldn't have been on Lady Gin-Gin that long."

I hiss out a breath, "I'll be fine."

"You will." He carries me in his arms. I let out a yelp of protest which he ignores it. Pulling off his cloak with one hand, he tosses it on the ground, under a tree and lies me gently on it. Once my back touches the prickly fabric of the cloak, I jolt upright pushing the hood of my cloak off my head. He smiles a little letting his eyes run up and down the length of my sitting body. Then, as he he suddenly remembers something, he turns his back to me and starts walking away.

"Kyan?" He doesn't turn. He picks up our bags and drops them beside me with a heavy thud. "Kyan?" I look up to him but he avoids my eyes. I wish my legs were not aching like I had been hiking up a steep mountain.

"Alysia," he calls my name like an elder sibling would; like I would call Mavli's to her.

"Don't stress yourself, please. I'm going to pitch a tent for us. Just... Stay put."

"How can you say that? I'm not going to just sit here-"

"You really don't have a choice, do you?" And I hate him as he trots away proudly. He disappears within trees and I'm left alone to my thoughts.

Ok Alysia, it's pretty easy. Just survive this night and... But I need to get away now. Now! But my stupid legs aren't working. I suck in a huge gulp of air. Ok. I'm going to tolerate him until my legs regain their feel and I'll be on my way. It's pretty easy, I'll gallop to the market and trot proudly out of the gates.

But Mavli!

A string of curses swirls in my mind. I want to weep out my frustration.

I have to find Mavli. After I escape, I'll search for Mavli in the market and surrounding houses before travelling further into the Kingdom.