Wayfinding | Aaravos x Reader |

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4: PHANTOM

"Dragons me . . . the audacity of this child. Where is she?"

"Inyah, please. You're getting upset over nothing!"

"Where is she?!" Not long after, you could hear ma's footsteps. Her vexation grew profound in every stride she took. When the susurrous sounds of leaves halted, trepidation surged over you.

You could hear her ragged breaths.

You could sense her fury.

You could almost see her clenched fists.

All of which had your name labelled on it.

But you vacated your mind and imagined quite the opposite in hopes that fantasy would morph to reality. Your childish prayers went unheard, however. Inyah seized your forearm and forced you to confrontation. The raw force she employed on you was enough to leave you toppling off the log you were once seated on. "What did you do to the rations?" She growled, aware that her nails were piercing into your flesh.

"Ow - ma! You're hurting me!"

"Where is it?" The elf questioned statically, reeling you closer. Her canines only emerged on days that she was especially displeased.

This was one of those days.

"I don't know! I swear. I don't even know what rations are-"

"How dare you lie to me, you vile thing! I saw you with my own two eyes carrying our share of pottage." While she was occupied, you recuperated and tore yourself from her grasp. Your flesh blushed where her fingers were once embedded. "And here I was - feeling guilty - thinking 'oh, poor thing, let her eat a little more just this once. She always loved pottage.'"

"Ma . . . I'm so sor-" the woman didn't even interrupt you. Rather she towered over you, her orbs carving letters onto your head.

"It was supposed to last us a week. An entire week. Now what should we do?"

Inyah's voice was coarse and impaling - much like a dull blade. With every vowel, your lips curled and with every constant your eyes glazed over with tears. "Ma . . ."

"I did it."

Your breath grew shallow when Gliden entered the clearing. With his gaze downcasted and shoulders by his ears, he appeared more fragile than usual. The female craned around, hues varnished with doubt. "What do you mean?"

Finally, the male imp heaved a sigh and raised his eyes. "I gave our food to the Earthblood elf."

"That dullard that nearly left us to die in the desert? Are you daft?!"

"Yes, I am-"

"You went out of your way to help the very kind that exiled you. And now look where that's left us. We're going to starve, Glid. We're going to starve because you are naive!" Inyah turned to you before her counterpart could put out a word. The elf's scowl left you cowering in your skin. "And you! Why did you lie to me? Did he put you up to this?"

"N-No-"

"Then what gave you the nerve-"

"Because she was protecting me - Inyah, please! You're frightening her!"

The female considered her partner incompetent. He always discovered impossible ways to derail plans that were established months prior and calculated to the teeth. His method of operation usually involved being credulous and talkative to all the wrong people - elves and humans alike. So often, Inyah disregarded anything that escaped Gliden's lips. This was the one time that his words actually passed through her. But not only that - they permeated her.