Into the Land of Valentia

Chapter the Eighteenth

XVIII

Vivica slept for the better part of the day, easing in and out of consciousness to drink from the canteen that rested by her head. It was always full when she pealed her eyes open to search for it, and the water inside was always cool as it hit her throat. She knew Cayden was refilling it. She also knew he was responsible for the pile of meadow grass that formed a pillow beneath her injured ankle. But he was never around when she woke, and she had no intention of trying to thank him again anytime soon, so she didn't dwell on it.

When Narick first spotted the River Silver, the sun had begun to inch its way towards the middle of the sky. Now, it had started its descent and was cresting the faraway peaks of the Efaesian Mountains. Rested from her sleep, Vivica thought of the lost time and how they could regain it. 

"You're awake." 

It was Narick that addressed her. She had tired of laying on the ground, and her muscles had grown stiff. A walk along the river's edge had seemed a good idea, although she did regret choosing to move so close to the water. The stable master was half-hidden in a clump of grass and his voice startled her. Vivica stumbled, planting her right foot in muck. "Oh!"

Seeing her distress, Narick left his spot and moved to her side. He wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her over to where he had been sitting. As she settled down, he apologized. "I did not expect you to be walking around so soon."

Vivica swiped at the mud still clinging to her feet. "I couldn't stand another moment just laying around. It doesn't hurt to walk that much. I figured the exercise could only help." 

The stable master nodded and picked up the stick that rested by his side. It was thinner in width than Vivica's smallest finger, and not quite the length of her lower arm. Narick had already carved a notch into it. He started to work on a second one, using a sharp stone. Vivica assumed that the other stick had been washed downriver, along with her knife and the rest of Narick's supplies.

In the midst of deepening the score, Narick must have applied too much pressure. The stick snapped into two uneven pieces. Narick regarded the halves before discarding them and sighing.

"You'll likely need a bigger stick," Vivica offered what she doubted was new knowledge.

"In a meadow barren of trees, the only sticks to be found come from the odd bush, none of which are very large. I'm afraid this was the best I could find." Narick tilted his head up and let a small smile play at his lips. "Do you think there is any good news?"

She gestured north. "We can see the Efaesian Mountains. If we follow the River Silver as you said, we should reach Mirror Lake in four days' time."

"Four days if you keep in mind that there is one person on foot?"

Vivica answered while gauging Narick's expression. "Yes."

"Then I will not be coming with you any further."

Shocked, Vivica shook her head hard. She had forgotten to put her hair back into its usual single braid after having woken, and now it fell into her eyes in an unruly fashion. She used a hand to pull the dark waves back and tried to argue Narick out of his decision. "Why would you stop now, after having come so far?"

"I am not stopping. Once the ingredients have been assembled, someone is needed to compile them in their correct form, yes? Cayden told me that you searched out a magus. I will go to him and bring him back to the castle."  

"But . . . if you go back to the castle they'll arrest you. They know you tried to help the princess escape."

Narick turned over the stone he still held in his hand. "I never left the castle because I wanted to escape my imprisonment. I left because your quest was to help Aimee. If returning will be the thing that does that, then I should have departed already. And," Narick's smile grew slightly, "it will give me a chance to search for Knickers. I will need to follow the River Silver down for a time to get to the magus' hut. Aimee will be glad to see the horse when she is well."