Dragons of Barakis- The Lost Kingdom

Travelers

Naomi was tired, more like exhausted. She had ridden Clyde throughout the rest of that first night and quite frankly, her bum was sore. Stiff from her travels the young woman climbed off the stallion gracelessly and fell to the ground, sprawled across the grass. Naomi closed her eyes and curled into a ball, wanting to just get an ounce of sleep. After all, the start of their journey had successfully put them out of sight of commonly travelled land. They were near a small lake a little way away from Mynax Village.

Now the Mynax Village was not to be considered your typical village. The people there were some of the hardest working in the empire, being mostly miners and blacksmiths. To say the least it was a busy town, one that violence occurred in more often than other places in Kyedor- at least to common knowledge. The men there were gruff folk, ready to take the law into their own hands if need be, it seemed that often, they felt the need to do so. Generally, the people of the Mynax village did not leave the area unless it be for work or other important purposes, they tended to be greatly content within the comfort of their own stone homes.

Naomi was just about asleep, right on the edge of it when she heard a noise that immediately alerted her- the sound of approaching footsteps. Sitting up hastily and then rising to her feet, she could make out the figure of a woman approaching her, and she swallowed hard in fear of being recognized.

It was not possible for her to hide and of that she was painfully clear, so she stood her ground, waiting for the woman to approach her. It was only then that the other lady spoke. "What are you doing out here so late? Do you not have a home? Do you need shelter?"

Naomi let loose a breath of air that she hadn't previously realized she had been holding. So, it seemed that the woman hadn't recognized her, not yet anyway. She shook her head at the question. "No, I am just on my way to visit a friend, I will be fine out here for the night, really. I actually find the night to be enjoyable."

It was a nice night too, a beautiful night. It was one of the nights that served to be perfect for camping as it was only the beginning of spring in Kyedor. The bugs were not yet horrendous, the air not too hot, just warm with a pleasant breeze. The sounds of the nocturnal animals could be heard faintly carrying on from the cover of the forest. Moonlight glinted off the water of the lake illuminating outlines of fish as they swam past.

The woman nodded in understanding as she as well took a moment to admire the area around her. A small smile could be seen on her face through the darkness. "Very well dear, be safe on your travels."

Naomi offered a smile in return and seeming satisfied with herself for offering help, the older woman turned on her heel and walked off. Naomi laid back down once the middle-aged woman was out of sight. Getting comfortable, she closed her eyes again, this time drifting off to sleep.

...........

Upon the crack of dawn, Naomi opened her eyes slowly and yawned, then stretched. She immediately wished for more sleep as she was well aware that she had likely only gotten a few hours’ worth. The idea to sleep in, however was not an option as she had to get away from the lake before someone else wondered out to find her. It was best to keep moving as much as possible, especially since she was completely sure her father's men were looking for her. If they hadn't been last night, they were now, considering she hadn't returned home.

Approaching her steed who was peacefully grazing by the lake, Naomi reached into one of the bags that was tied to his saddle and pulled out a small water jug. Lifting it to her lips, she savored the drink, having desperately needed the refreshment. Digging around a bit more, she pulled out an apple, her favorite fruit. Biting into it, she closed her eyes in bliss. There was nothing better to her than the taste of a firm, crisp, sweet apple. The juices trickled minimally from her mouth and carelessly, she wiped them away with the sleeve of her shirt once there was nothing left of the fruit but the core.