Vara

Chapter 6

"Vara, what time is it?" Elira's voice cracked. The girls had been walking for what felt like hours, leading the horses on foot to give them a break from carrying their weight. "It's time to go home." Vara replied, glancing up at the sky and squinting. "Vara." Elira only had to state the name for the woman to know that the princess was irritated. "Look, I'm a slave. Not a timekeeper." Vara's throat was dry, as was her mouth. "I have an idea of where we're going, but for now I'm trying to find us some water or something."

"Why don't we just go down to the river, then?" Elira gestured to their left. "We need to stay in the trees. I'm not sure if we lost those men back there." Vara stopped, tugging on her horse's reigns to stop him as well, turning to look at the younger girl. "Look, I understand you're upset. You're tired and thirsty, probably hungry too considering it's around lunchtime." she didn't think she'd ever have this conversation, but she didn't want to avoid it either.

"You're my master and I never thought I'd have to say this, but you need to listen to me and do as I say." Vara saw the look of surprise in Elira's eyes, but the younger girl didn't retort. "We were almost killed - you definitely would have been killed or worse if I didn't tell you to hide earlier. I'm no soldier, but I am your best chance of getting home or finding help at the moment." she continued, looking at their surroundings briefly. "But I'll get you home... or we'll die trying." she tried sounding nonchalant about it, the younger girl speaking up.

"I'm tired... and hungry." Elira's tone had changed from annoyed to exhaustion. Vara nodded, moving to help the girl up onto the horse. "I know, we'll find a place to rest soon. Preferably a cave or something to hide in just in case." she hopped up onto her own horse. "We should've been at the palace by now. I am certain your father, the King, has sent out a search party." she tried lifting the blonde's mood, but Elira just nodded with a heavy sigh.

An hour passed before Elira spoke up again. "Looks like you get another day of wearing pants... it's as if you planned it."

Vara's head whipped around to look at the girl, startled at the accusation. But Elira just gave Vara a small grin, a silent way of showing that she was merely teasing. Vara relaxed, letting out a small chuckle and rolled her eyes. "You got me," she grinned. "I can't believe how clever you are to have figured it out," she continued, Elira letting out a small giggle. "I am smarter than I look, Vara." She replied, both girls hopping off the equine and tying the reigns to a small tree. "I'm really hungry now," Elira still had a small smile, but Vara felt it was forced. Though with what had happened earlier, it was hard for her to be in a good mood either.

"Sorry... we can leave the horses here for a bit. Let's walk around, see if we can find a stream to drink from. If not, we'll rest by the horses under the shade and cool off." They were both panting by this time, the sun still high in the sky. Their clothes would have been dry by now if it wasn't for the sweat. Elira looked especially uncomfortable, the skirt of her hanfu torn and slightly singed. 

"I could turn that skirt into a pair of pants, if you'd like." Vara offered. It wouldn't be a great pair of pants, but it would be better than letting her skirt get snagged on every bush they pass. Elira seemed to hesitate for a moment before shaking her head no. "Not right now. I'd like to keep what little dignity I have left intact." She replied, reaching over to hold Vara's hand as they began to walk. They stayed silent, walking in a large circle around where their horses were and staying close enough to see the animals. "This is Gehana's Garden, isn't it?" Elira finally spoke up again. Vara would have preferred silence, but she wouldn't ignore the twelve year old either. "It is. I don't think the hunting party ever comes out this far, though." Vara hummed. "We should wait until the sun sets just a bit more."

"Why is that?" Elira stopped, crouching down to inspect a little brown toad. "You know how the sun rises from the East and sets on the West?" Elira nodded, cautiously placing a finger on the toad's warty back. "Right now it's about one or two in the afternoon, the sun is right above us at least." Vara walked only a few feet away, grunting a bit as she lowered herself to sit on a fallen tree trunk. "So if we wait a few hours, the sun will be setting in the West. The palace is roughly Northwest from here. I think." she explained, earning a strange look from Elira. "That's... pretty smart. I did not even think about it that way."