CHAPTER SEVEN

T he second day went by as quickly as the first. The day consisted of a lot of hiking, this time stopping here and there to eat and fill our canteens with water from a stream. I consistently kept thinking about my father and how he might be reacting to my disappearance. I wondered how many guards he had set after to find me and how likely we were to run into one of them, or if he’d come looking himself.

Regardless, Elias and I were trekking along, being sure to cover our tracks as best we could. We hadn’t been caught yet, which was promising. We had not heard any search parties in our area. In fact, we hadn’t passed a single person. The forest was calm and peaceful, and I was enjoying the quiet tranquility.

On the second night, Elias kept his promise to let me take first watch. As I sat there, snacking on a piece of bread as he slept, my mind began to wander. It’s scary how easy it was for me to trust him. I didn’t know a single thing about him, other than he was not from Rimor and that he had somehow made it to the Forest of Torment and back.

I decided that night, I would try to get to know him better. We were stuck with each other for one long month. Maybe in that time we could learn to become friends.

Elias turned over in his sleep, and I glanced down at him. He looked very serene as he was finally getting the rest he deserved. I wondered if he had watched me as closely while I slept the night before.

When my eyes began to get too heavy, I leaned down to gently nudge him awake. He stood up and stretched his muscular arms, then told me to get some rest. I felt a little guilty not letting him sleep through the night like he did for me. But after the long day’s journey, I was struggling to stay awake any longer. I don’t know how he did it.

Morning came, and we began our journey once again. After hiking for nearly an hour in mostly silence, I finally started a conversation.

“So Elias,” I began, following his steps through the unpathed forest. “You’re not from Rimor?”

He briefly glanced back, but kept moving forward. “Correct,” he said matter-of-factly.

I waited a moment, but he said nothing more. “This is the part where you tell me where you’re from,” I exhorted.

He continued forward, and let out a small breath of air. “Nowhere. I’m from nowhere,” he answered.

I stopped walking. He did the same when he noticed, and turned to face me. “You have to be from somewhere,” I told him. “Where were you born? Where does your family live?”

“I have no family,” Elias responded. My brow raised in confusion. “They died a long time ago.” My expression changed to horror. He turned back around and continued walking.

That’s horrible , I thought. How? When? I did not ask these questions out loud. I felt like I shouldn’t pry. Maybe he would open up to me at some point, but I didn’t feel it was necessary to reopen such terrible old wounds of someone I barely knew.

“Well,” I continued to follow him. “Where were you before Rimor then?”

I watched as his body stiffened in response to the question. He looked over his shoulder for a moment and uttered the word, “Sprath.” His tone was that of absolute disgust. It reminded me of every other person who had mentioned the kingdom to me.

Sprath was the least favorable kingdom of the four, and their name always gave me a bad taste in my mouth. It was by far the smallest and housed a lot of corrupt people, from what my father and uncle had told me. My father often called them the “itch on his back that he just can’t scratch.” But what it was really called was the “City of Knowing.” They happened to know the strengths and weaknesses of everyone else. They supposedly had a large number of spies that worked for King Volund, who could tear a kingdom apart by revealing one secret at a time.

My uncle explained to me that King Volund once told him the exact positions and war tactics of Rimor’s army, should there ever be a war, with perfect accuracy. My uncle had to come up with an entirely new war plan when he got home. He and my father described Volund as a snake in the grass. Get on his bad side, and he’ll sneak up and bite you when you least expect it. And the bite will be a slow, agonizing poison.

I gulped, nervous at the thought of Elias being from Sprath. But noting the disgust in his voice when he spoke of the City of Knowing, and how he had said he was from “nowhere,” it seemed he was not Sprathian himself. So I continued on.

“What brought you to Rimor?” I asked.

He thought for a moment as we kept walking. “An assignment,” he finally answered.

“Oh?” I questioned. “What kind of assignment?”

He stopped in his tracks, and I nearly walked into the back of him. He turned to face me, a solemn look on his face. “You ask a lot of questions, Princess,” he stated.

I looked up to meet his stare. “And you’re quite aloof,” I retorted. “I’m just trying to make conversation. Also, you don’t have to keep calling me Princess.”

His brows furrowed. “But that’s what you are, is it not?”

“Exactly. And I don’t want anyone knowing that.”

“It is also a term of endearment. I don’t think anyone will think otherwise.”

I paused. “Are you using it as a term of endearment?”

He stared at me, no emotion on his face at all. His posture looked stiff and uncomfortable.

“No.”

We stared at each other for a moment, the silence deafening.

“Okay,” I said, trying to shrug it off and return to the original subject. “So tell me about your assignment.”

We maintained eye contact for a moment before his shoulders relaxed. “I was told to locate something in Rimor,” he said. “I can’t give you much more information, for my employer’s sake.”

“See? Aloof,” I said, jabbing a finger at his chest. He looked down at my finger then back up at me, his expression impassive.

“And you are…inquisitive,” he said, purposefully picking a less offensive word than ‘nosy.’

I smiled. “Well did you get to complete your assignment? Before I stole you away?”

“No,” he replied. “But yours pays better.” The corner of his mouth tipped up in an almost-smile. I began to laugh, and I swore his eyes lit up for a moment. “Shall we?” he said, turning back around to continue on.

As we walked for several long miles, I couldn’t help but admire the forest. It was quiet and peaceful and…serene. It had been a decade since I didn’t have to stare at stone walls every day. The best views of nature I had were in the castle gardens. But even then, guards followed me every step of the way, and servants and handmaids doted on me. The soft sounds of the forest brought peace and a sense of freedom.

Towards the end of the day, my legs grew achy and my stomach empty. We stopped a few times to fill up on food and water, but by nightfall I was once again starving. We certainly were not eating enough food to maintain the energy needed for these long hikes.

Elias must have had the same thought, because when we stopped and made camp, he said, “Tomorrow we can try to hunt.”

I looked at him with eagerness. “That would be wonderful,” I replied. “I could eat an entire elk right now.”

Elias nodded, then made himself comfortable. We sat in silence for a moment while I snacked on some hard cheese.

“So,” Elias began, taking me by surprise. He wasn’t usually the one to initiate conversation. “I answered some questions about myself. What about you? What are some things I should know about the Princess of Rimor?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re joking,” I said. He shrugged and took a bite of his own food. “You barely answered a damn thing, Elias.”

He grinned as he shrugged again. “Just curious if you have any secrets up your sleeves. I saw how you handled those asses at the alehouse. Did your father teach you how to fight?”

I scoffed. “My father absolutely forbade me from learning how to fight,” I explained. “Since my mother died…” I trailed off. I looked over to see Elias watching me intently. “Since my mother died, my father has treated me like a newborn baby – like I can’t and shouldn’t do anything that could harm me. I can’t even leave the castle on my own,” I confessed. It felt good to talk about this with someone other than Rose.

“Then who taught you how to fight?” Elias asked.

I was confused as to why he was suddenly so curious about me. “My uncle,” I answered. “He trained me in secret for years, then was banished when he was caught.”

Elias nodded in understanding. “He did well,” he said. I tipped my head in appreciation. “If you ever want to continue your training, I can teach you some things.”

I looked at him curiously. Remembering what he did to the three men at the Crooked Hoof in the span of seconds, I was sure he was just as much a master in combat as my uncle. “I would like that,” I replied.

We finished the rest of our measly meal in silence. Before I knew it, I was drifting to sleep, only to awaken when it was Elias’s turn to get some rest.

Another day continued, still no sign that we were being pursued by my father and his men. We passed a small lake, and each took a turn to bathe while the other waited out of sight.

While we rested and snacked, Elias began crafting a bow and wooden arrows using his knife and a few large sticks. He explained that this was the best weapon for hunting, and the only weapon he had on him was a dagger. He handed me my own pieces of wood and told me to take out my knife and copy his movements. He had string in his pack that he used to complete the bow’s drawstring, and showed me how to do the same on mine.

“The bows won’t last long,” he told me. “But they’ll do for today, until we can get a real one from a weaponsmith somewhere.” I wondered if and when we would be running into someone like that on this journey .

Elias spent time teaching me how to hold the bow, and how to nock our makeshift arrows. I grew frustrated when I couldn’t get it to shoot more than a few feet. Elias assured me that it would be easier with a real, professionally crafted bow.

We continued our hike towards the Forest of Torment, and some time went by before Elias heard a rabbit in the distance. I don’t know how he was able to hear it, as I heard nothing, even when I held my breath. Luckily, he was miraculously able to hit the rabbit. I was ecstatic to have our first proper meal in days.

We decided to cook it immediately, to avoid having a fire at night when it would be the most visible. When the rabbit was fully cooked, I had never enjoyed the taste of something so much in my life. Not only was it because I felt like I was starving, but because it was something new . The castle cooks made exquisite meals, yes, but somehow the taste of something so fresh and wild tickled my taste buds in the best way.

Elias simply watched me as I devoured my share. He let out a small, breathy laugh before finishing his own.

Feeling more energized than ever, we carried on with our journey. Following his footsteps closely, I watched as Elias climbed over a large fallen tree. He turned and put his hand out, waiting for me to take it so he could help me over.

I hesitated at first, but reached for his hand. When our skin touched, the same intense energy I felt on the first night I met him in Rimor reawakened. I couldn’t explain it other than feeling like the sun itself was being recreated through our touch.

So I hadn’t imagined that feeling the first time. I looked up to see if Elias shared the same sensation, but once again, he showed no evidence that he did. I let him haul me over the fallen tree. As I reached the other side, he gazed at our hands and hesitated a moment before letting go. When he finally did, he looked up at me and said, “ Let’s go, Princess.”

He continued forward, and I watched him intently, still looking for any sort of evidence that he felt anything. For the slightest moment, I swore I saw him clench and unclench his hand a few times, as if trying to make sense of the fiery sensation. I decided not to ask him about it, mostly in fear that he would think I was crazy. Maybe I was.

To get out of my own head, I filled the hours with small conversation about life in Rimor and my favorite hobbies. He listened closely and maintained interest, but gave away nothing further about himself. Figured.

At night, we made our camp, feeling incredibly lucky that the weather the past few nights had been warm and calm. As we sat there on our blankets, I looked straight up at the treetops and let out a sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Elias asked. I looked over to see that he was staring at me with the slightest look of concern.

I smiled. “It’s nothing. I was just hoping to be able to see the stars.”

“The stars?” he repeated, now looking up towards the sky.

“In Rimor, it’s hard to get a good view of the stars while the city is lit up. Even from the castle,” I explained. “I thought that being out here, I would be able to see how beautiful they really are. But all I see are trees.” I let out a defeated laugh.

“Hm,” was all Elias mumbled, still looking up at the trees with me. He remained staring upwards for a minute, as if he were lost in thought.

It was my turn to take first watch that night, so I got up to stretch and walk around a bit in order to keep myself awake. “Princess,” Elias called to me, and I rolled my eyes at the fact that he continued using the term. I looked over to see him grabbing for his canteen that lay next to his makeshift bed. “Since you’re up first tonight, do you think you could do something for me? ”

Not able to predict what he might need from me, I asked, “What is it?”

“I saw a stream only a few hundred steps west of here. Could you fill our canteens?” He stood and started to hand his canteen to me.

I eyed him curiously. “Now?” I asked, taking it from him slowly.

“Yes,” was all he said.

Our eyes remained locked on each other for a moment. “Alright, if you say so,” I said.

“Thank you,” he answered, as he began to lie back down on his blanket.

I turned west and began walking, both canteens in my hands now. The request felt odd, but I wasn’t going to question it further. As I kept walking, I waited for the sound of a stream to hit my ears. After some time, I was starting to think there was no stream.

I walked through thick forest, hardly able to see in the heavy darkness. Getting fed up, I pushed past a final set of vines and foliage only to find myself suddenly in a big clearing. When I looked up, my jaw nearly hit the ground.

Hundreds, no, thousands of stars lit up the sky in a way I had never seen before. My heart began to pound at the surreal feeling I was experiencing. The way the stars took over the darkness could only be described as a work of art created by the gods themselves. It was as if the sky was using the stars to tell a story – to paint a picture of the beauty of this world and the next. Were we a star as well, drifting through the realms and lighting up somebody else’s night sky?

The sight was so beautiful that a small tear began to fall from my eye. I stood there for long minutes, not taking my eyes off the gleaming array of stars above me.

When I finally felt like I had soaked it all in, I turned to head back to camp, completely forgetting why I had left it in the first place. Upon arrival, Elias was lying on his blanket with his arms up and hands behind his head. Even in the darkness, I thought I could make out a smile on his face.

“Did you find it?” he asked.

I had the feeling he wasn’t referring to the stream, but I indulged him anyway. “No,” I answered. “I couldn’t find a stream.”

“Oh,” he said nonchalantly. “That’s my fault then. I’m sorry, I could have sworn we passed one.”

“Right,” I said. “You’ll have to quench your thirst tomorrow. Get some rest, Elias.”

He nodded and rolled over to fall asleep. I watched him doze off, with the thought in my mind that maybe he knew I would run into the clearing. Maybe he knew I would find the stars I so desperately wanted to see.

I made the mistake of lying down, the image of the radiant stars still dancing in my mind, and began to doze off.

* * *

I’m running through the woods. Running. Running. I’m being hunted, and they’re right on my tail. But I’m not alone. My mother is in front of me, dragging me behind her by my wrist. We zig-zag through the forest, faces and hands getting cut on the low hanging branches of the trees. “Mama!” I scream at her in terror. My voice sounds younger.

My mother turns to look at me, and cups my face in her hands. “It’s okay, Aurelia. It’s okay. You’re going to be alright.” I’m in hysterics now, trying not to sob. “Look at me, baby,” she says. I look up into her beautiful icy blue eyes. “I have to do something. I have to do something to keep you safe. It’s going to hurt. But you’ll be okay. Do you trust me?”

She looks so brave, so confident. “I’m scared,” I admit through sobs.

“I know. I know, baby. But you have to trust me. Okay?”

I sniffle and wipe my eyes. “Okay,” my childlike voice answers .

She smiles and kisses my forehead. “Come lie down next to this tree, my love,” she orders me gently. I do as she says. “This is going to hurt for a little while, but it’s not going to kill you, okay?”

I do my best to be brave and nod my head. “I love you, Mama,” I say through my tears.

Tears begin to flood my mother’s eyes too. “I love you, Aurelia. Don’t ever forget that. I will always love you.” She gives me one final hug and kiss.

My mother backs away, then I hear her speaking words that I cannot understand, perhaps because I’m crying so hard that I can barely hear her.

Suddenly, something strong wraps around me and whatever it is starts burning. My skin is scorching, and the pain is immeasurable. I begin screaming in agony, my body feeling like it has been set on fire. I can hear my mother’s sobs, but her voice gets quieter and quieter as the pain gets more and more intense.

It starts to feel like thousands of knives are slicing my skin and someone is pouring hot oil into the wounds. I have never experienced so much pain. I keep screaming, praying to the gods for it to stop.

* * *

When I came to, I realized I was screaming in real life. The remnants of the pain felt so real, and I started to sob into someone’s chest. It took a moment for me to realize where I was and who I was with.

Elias was holding me in his arms. “It’s alright, Aura. I’m here,” he said gently. “You’re safe.”

I was practically gasping for air now, holding onto the only thing that felt real. Holding onto Elias. He began stroking my hair and hushing me softly. “You’re okay,” he repeated again and again until I could finally breathe normally. “I’m here.”

“It felt so real,” I finally choked out, body still trembling.

“I know. It’s alright now.” His voice was like velvet.

My breathing steadied and my body slowly began to relax at the sound of his voice and warmth of his touch. After a moment, my cries turned into small whimpers. Eventually, I fell quiet as the feeling of being safe took over the once paralyzing fear.

He held me there for some time, and before I knew it I was drifting off to sleep in his arms.