Alina Nivar: The Moonstone

VII: The Journey

Arien took a closer look at the book.

"So, we're looking for this 'Moonstone'?"

Alina nodded.

"And it's in the silver mountain?" he continued.

"Uh-huh."

"And there's a man that kidnapped your father and is now going to get this Moonstone for some evil reason we don't know yet?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Let's review our plan one last time."

He took out a map of the kingdom. He pointed at a spot near the castle.

"So, we're here. We'll have to go through the forest, around the castle," he said, moving his finger through the map as he was talking. - When we get to the White River, we'll follow its course until we get to this point." He stopped at the middle of the river, near a group of mounts. "Here, we'll have to decide either we cross the Mourning Mountains or if we take a detour through the Gray Plains. Anyway, wichever path we take, we'll end up at the coast, in Seaturn Village." He pointed at a village right next to open sea. "We'll get a boat there and sail to the Red Island, where the Silver Mountain is."

"But I don't see any mountains in the island." Alina frowned. "Also, who picked all those names?"

"I've got no idea, but they have a reason to be. Believe me. Anyway, the Silver Mountain doesn't appear in this map. However, I'm lucky enough to have this." He took out a piece of paper and unfolded it. Alina recognised it at first sight. It was the map he'd showed her the day they met, when they planned on leaving. It was clearly a map of the island, and in the middle of it there was a mountain.

"How comes this isn't in the other map?"

"I have no idea," Arien answered, "but we'll need this when we get there. I've got this maps, the two daggers, three bottles of water, a bag with five golden coins and ten silver coins, two blankets and a rope. You?"

"I've got the book, another bag of money, about a week worth of food, one dagger, two candles, a roll of bandages..." The girl stirred deeper in her basket. "Extra clothes, two bags of spices and my things."

Arien frowned.

"Spices? Since when you walk around carrying spices? And how did you get all those things into a basket?"

"I'm just a good organizer." Alina shrugged, deliberately ignoring the first question.

"Well, let's don't lose any more time. It's time to go."

Alina looked as Arien took a last look to the cave and then started walking. They spent a few minutes walking to the path to the palace and then headed to it, as they'd planned.

"Crap. More small talk" The girl thought to herself.

Arien cleared his throat. "Here we go"

"So, umm..." The boy looked around like looking for the words to say. "Words are like birds" Alina stated in her head. "They float around us, waiting for someone to catch them. And while sometimes they come straight at us, sometimes they slip right off our hands"

"Let me guess. More small talk."

"Well, yeah."

"There's no need. I rather an akward silence than an akward conversation," she said, still looking straight ahead, and kept walking. Arien followed her, quite confused.

"Are you mad at me or something?"

"No." Alina frowned. "Why would I?"

"I dunno, you tell me."

"I told you I'm not mad. There's literally no reason for me to be mad. So why did you think I was?"

"I have no idea."

The girl sighed. Why was he like this?

"By the way, why do you talk like that?"

Alina blinked twice, confused.

"What do you mean, 'like that'?"

"Like... Y'know, with fancy words. Not all the time, just sometimes, but it's kinda weird."

"Arien?"

"Yeah?"

"Akward silence."

They kept going towards the castle, but Alina stopped before they got there. She couldn't let anyone see her. If that happened, it wouldn't play in her favor if she asked to be reinserted in the kitchen. They wouldn't believe her if she told her that she left to search for a magical stone from an ancient godess with a boy older than her to save her father from some weird kidnappers, so the only thing she could do was to hold on to her father's disappearance and play the victim.

Her father's disappearance. She suddenly felt sad and guilty. Maybe it was her fault for keeping the stupid book. Maybe she didn't deserve working at the kitchen. Maybe-

"Uh, Alina?" Arien's voice dragged her out of her thoughts. "Why did you stop?"

"I can't let anyone see me." Alina thanked the boy in silence. She needed to focus. There was no time for self pity.

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter. We have to surround the castle anyway, right? Let's just do it carefully."

She put on her hood and overtook Arien. She could hear him mumbling something under his breath while following her.