The Sword Bearer

Chapter 37

“Can you tell me where we are going,” he whined. “No for then tenth time. You’re the one who insisted on coming with me,” I drawled. He was getting on my nerves after a few hours and now I was on the edge of sleeping on my feet. I didn’t think I would be tired this soon after spending so many days doing nothing. I stopped, stretching my sore muscles. Aiden stopped behind me, looking at me curiously. “Can you stop staring at me?” I asked him, growling. “Okay,” he muttered under his breath, averting his eyes. Truly his staring was starting to make me self-conscious and even though I knew I sounded rude, I felt better once his eyes were averted elsewhere. We started to walk again a little while later. Aiden stayed quiet for a while. Even though my ears were relived, my guilt started to build. After contemplating for a few minutes, I slowed my pace to walk next to him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude,” I said. He nodded and gave me a weak smile. We walked side by side without speaking a word to each other. By that time I knew that something was wrong but I was too scared to ask why he was upset. It wasn’t like I actually knew him well. Anything could have been on his mind but I was guessing it was about him running away but he had been happy about it just a while ago. I decided to push these thoughts away form my head. It wasn’t any of my business. “We should stop for the night,” I stated staring at the sun setting. He just nodded.

I plopped down onto the grass and stared at the slowly emerging in the sky but they just brought tears to my eyes as I remembered that Daren had been with me last time I had done this. Aiden lay a few feet away from me. I turned my back to him so he couldn’t see my tears. I let them roll down into the grass. I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t too bad but I felt so alone even though Aiden was here with me. I heard him clear his throat. I wiped my tears away and sat up, looking at him. He had already been sitting up. “Can I ask you something,” he said without removing his gaze from the sky. “Sure,” I said, resting my hed on my knees. He seemed so serene now unlike before. “Why did he do that for you?” he asked. For a second I was confused but then he clarified, “I mean Daren,” he asked me. I blinked blankly for a second. “Oh, um” I said stumped. I didn’t know why he did it. I didn’t even know why I was going to. It was just something that felt right. “I don’t know,” I muttered staring at my fingers. “I think you do know,” he said finally looking at me. “I don’t,” I repeated. He smiled. “I think you’ll know why soon enough,” “How do you know,” I asked him, raising my eyebrow. “I just do,” he said cheerfully.

The conversation died down after that but I knew he was back to his more teasing mood. He had a goofy grin plastered on his face as he sat examining the landscape. His eyes sparkled like a gleeful child and I dared to wonder if he had actually ever been out in the open before. I opened my mouth to ask him but something stopped me. It was a personal question and since I didn’t want him to ask me questions like that, I thought it was better to leave it alone. I closed my mouth and styed silent instead. Again my thoughts wandered in the direction of Daren. Not having him with me felt wrong. A part of me longed to go after him right then but the more rational part of me stopped me, as it knew that it would be of no use. It would just get us both trapped again. I sighed and went to lay down again, hoping sleep would overtake me before emotions could. It didn’t work and I just spent the next few hours thinking of way I cold get Daren out. Most of them were outrageous and beyond reason but that was what happened when you thought when you were on the brink of sleep. As ideas flowed in and out of my head, I drifted slowly into the domain of dreams.

My sleep wasn’t peaceful but my visions came back. I saw flashes of the destruction of my village. I also saw flashes of indistinct figures carrying the sword. I could make out the gender or the face of who was carrying it. Then the flashes merged into one as I gazed upon the person walking, using the sword as a crutch. The person seemed tired and now I could see that she had long hair. Then I recognized the place she reached. It was the tree I had found the sword. Her cloak billowed around her as she stepped into a crevasse. I could see her trembling even from afar. She pulled the sword out of the cloth and held it above her head. It looked like she was going to stab herself. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t. There was no escaping the visions. I watched as she lowered it at a deathly rate point first but to my surprise she dug it into the ground instead. Then in speed, I moved up above the sword to see that the ground around it was starting to cave in. She stepped back as much of the ground caved in. It was the first time I had seen the true power of the sword and I was amazed. She jumped into the hole and it seemed her tiredness was gone.

My vision again sped forward till I was watching her from behind. She walked around the room that I had found the sword in. It was still caved out as I remembered it, with roots keeping the walls standing. In the middle, a part of the ground was elevated higher than the rest. She covered the sword back in the cloth and placed it on it, backing away. I could see her lips moving as she chanted something I couldn’t hear. Then she turned around and I saw the face of the ghost I had seen of Erica. I had been guessing this from the beginning since she had been the first sword bearer. She squatted then jumped up and grabbed the edge of the ground pulling herself up. That’s when the vision started to fade. I woke up with sweat soaking my body.

I remembered the last time I had woken up like this and I remembered that Daren had been there to comfort me but now when they startes again, he wasn’t here. Tears started to roll down my face as I remembered how he had made me feel better. “Are you okay?” I heard Aiden ask behind me. I had forgotten that he was there. I wiped my eyes quickly and nodded but he cocked his eyebrow at me. “You can tell me,” he said, giving me a curious gaze. I let my head drop trying not to look him in the eye when I said it “I don’t want to talk about” I muttered. It was lie. I needed someone to comfort me but that had to wait. I couldn’t get any comfort until Daren was out of imprisonment. I smiled as I remembered that he had rescued me the first time, when I was so confused and I didn’t know what was happening to me. If it wasn’t for him I would probably be dead by now from depression. I shuddered at the thought of it. I couldn’t go back to the vulture’s nest without getting caught though. Or could I? An idea so absurd occurred to me that would have me think back wondering if had been sane. I was but I would do anything for Daren.

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I really needed to get something up soon so thats why its short. 

I think this is going to be ending in a few weeks. Probably early next year. But again I could be wrong. 

Thanks to all of you who stuck with this.

GirlWithTheGlasses99 (Yes i chaneged my username)