Everlong

Kherek-Nor

Olly hurdled over a large fallen tree, the branches brushing past her feet as she swept them clean, careful not to break anything crucial as she sprinted through the forests, following the Trade Way path's direction towards Triboar. The Trollclaws were active in the night, Olly hearing all manner of wildlife coming through the woods as she traversed through it stealthy. She wasn't so afraid of the monsters and beasts of the forests, but more of the anger that Peren would have when he discovered her not in the tavern room and half their supplies gone.

Oh yes, he would be angry, and he would curse at the ground and spit at her name. And all the while she would be so far ahead he couldn't possibly catch up. She hadn't mentioned where she was headed, and the thought of being totally alone thrilled her and scared her at the same time. Now she was ass deep in the darkness of the forest with no clue what her next move was when she finally made it to Triboar. She would have to send out a inquiry within her mother's druid circle, feel out some potential leads, but first, she had to get away fast.

If only she had done this years ago. It felt so good to be rid of a weight she couldn't describe. Was this the freedom that she wanted? Maybe not to it's fullest, but it was a start. Breathing the night air it filled her lungs, a coolness that made her shiver and realize she had done something she had never done before. She had done exactly what she wanted to do.

She hadn't hesitated, hadn't pondered or slept on the idea of leaving. It was the moment her heart had cooled from the hatred of Peren, and the realization that she was not what he thought she was. She was far more, and that in itself had sparked some fire within her that had grown and grown until she had slammed the bedroom door and screamed out into the air. After that, her steel heart vowed never again, never would she open herself up to become so controlled and soft. She vowed she would find Nole, and prove Peren wrong. She vowed to herself that she would never fall again, never be so involved with someone she would lose herself. She would never love again, she would never want to love again, it seemed like a adventure she would never be able to explore, for lack of the person or the feeling within herself. She made peace with it in the darkness, knowing she was leaving it all behind.

In the darkness of the forest she sealed herself off from ever knowing love, or the meaning of it. Peren had always said that love was a weakness most fell afflicted to, and maybe that was the one thing he had been right about her. She loved things deeply, and felt things deeply, and it would be her downfall....

But no more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ed had walked out into the night air, breathing it deeply and steadying himself enough to get ready to speak to Olly. He was going to try not to make a big show of offering his assistance, he would just simply ask and then if she refused he would politely back off. Simple as that. But now as the Cleric stood in front of the stable doors he felt a sense of dread when he saw Olly's horse still tethered up. A young boy passed by him as his mind started trying to turn to understand how Olly wasn't there but her horse was when he finally shook himself awake and turned to the child.

"Boy! Wait boy!" he said as the young lad turned and stared up at the Cleric "Did you see the woman that owns that horse?" he said pointed to the mare.

"My lady gave me some coin to watch over the horse while she goes away, she said would return in a month sir" the boy spoke plainly, not mentioning the coin happened to be gold.

"Where did she go?" Ed asked looking towards the darkness of the forests that the Trade Way led into.

"She took off on foot sir" the boy said "Although I know not why. It's not safe sir, and she only had a bow on her that I could see. I fear for the lady priest, these woods ought not to be explored in the night, but my lady was determined. She left with very little food too sir, but I could not spare none of my own. "