A blanket of trees covered the entire hillside before them. "Run uphill," Ward's steady hand locked around Yuliah's fingers, and he scampered ahead, "Faster girl. Take big strides."
She watched as one knee lifted and his leg stretched forward, and she dragged behind him. No longer would she be a dead weight for everyone to carry around. Yuliah mimicked his motions and matched his pace. A sharp cramp shot up the side of her stomach, but she ignored it and pushed on.
They entered the darkest part of the forest where the trees were the thickest. It loomed over them menacingly with branches that tangled around one another in all directions upward.
These trees grew on the borders of the Northern Kingdom only. Yuliah glanced around, confused at how they ended up here. She looked over at Ward, ready to ask him, but a howl carried by the wind made its way through the darkened forest.
"We gotta run! They let the beasts out." Ward sprinted ahead with her hand still in his.
Yuliah realized that he'd been holding her hand since they left the cell. Only briefly inside the tent earlier did he let go. It could have been all the running that warmed her face and heart, but she suddenly yanked her hand away. It felt wrong to keep holding onto him.
"No," Ward took her hand back. "I can't have you falling behind. I'm tired of chasing and saving your ass," and he pulled her behind him again, as they ran through the forest.
It's always one thing after another. Yuliah missed the days when she sat at Wey Manor doing nothing but watched the clouds pass above, and a heavy feeling swept over her.
"Keep up!" Ward yanked her forward. The growls grew closer. "Shit. Those fuckers are gaining on us," Ward turned from side to side. "The branches are low but high enough that we can climb up and hide."
"What should we do?" The cramp in her side worsened, and Yuliah couldn't run anymore. With a constant pounding in her head.
"We can't outrun these beasts. We'll hide," Ward crouched down. "I'll help you up first. Once you're up there, don't forget about me, all right."
"You don't trust me?" She placed her foot in Ward's hand as he boosted her up. Both her hands wrapped around a thick branch and she climbed up then reached down for Ward.
"You tried to strangle me and almost took a chunk out of my neck." He walked away, turned around, took a few strides, jumped and grabbed her hand, then scaled the trunk upward. He moved so quickly she wondered where he'd gained such skills.
"Don't forget that you planned to sell me to the Nomens." Yuliah's voice raised.
"Shhhh..." he pushed her. "I wouldn't have forced you. Climb or do you want to sit here and announce to them we're here?" He pushed her again.
"Don't push me," her hand smacked the back of his head before she started her ascend from one branch to the next.
"That's uncalled for. I don't hit wench...
"Sorry… my foot slipped." Yuliah smiled and reached for the next branch. "Ouch!" She glanced down at Ward. "Why did you do THAT?" His hand was still on her butt.
"Sorry, Sass, my hand slipped when your foot slipped. Go up higher though, we need to hide where the leaves are the thickest, so they can't see us."
Yuliah took a deep breath before she continued up. She'd get him back later and climbed until she could no longer look down without feeling lightheaded. With her head rested on the branch. "I can't go up any higher, and I'm too tired." A sickened feeling churned inside her stomach.
"We'll wait for them to pass." Ward sat down.
She quickly leaned over the branch, her stomach contracted as a mixture of sour and bitter vomit came shooting out her mouth, "I have nothing to throw up," she coughed while her stomach contracted, sending her head over the side again. Yuliah choked and coughed louder this time. "How are you going to take me captive and not even feed me," she flipped onto her back. Her nose moistened, and her eyes blurred.
Ward sounded annoyed. "I found you yesterday. I thought you'd be dead by morning. Come here. Let me check something."
Yuliah ignored him, but he stretched across the branch and placed his fingers on her wrist, then listened to her pulse. "You won't die of starvation soon. Look how thick your wrist is," he shook her hand.
She yanked her hand back. "You're such an ass," but that same churning feeling came up and almost right in Wards face, and Yuliah quickly leaned over the edge.
"Gross. Stay over there," he said.
"I moved too soon," she wiped her face and nose on the sleeve of her shirt followed by a few sniffs.
"Disgusting. It's hard to believe you're even a lady," he answered.
"Why are you helping me?" Yuliah asked. "The other day, you wanted to sell me to the Nomens as a breeder." She needed to be careful. They always wanted something, that's what Ryas told her. After Lucan, she told herself to be more cautious about unfamiliar people.
"I'm still asking myself that same question." He paused. "Shhhh... quiet. There here."
Yuliah held her breath. The heavy pants from the beasts when they sniffed and scratched at the tree trunk below. Their furry bodies were enormous and stood taller than a horse. Ward called them Fenrir, but to her, they resembled a giant wolf.
Ward's mouth rested slightly over her ear and Yuliah turned around. She wondered what he wanted.
"They aren't leaving. If we crawl from tree to tree, we can escape them."
Yuliah looked around. Ward's right the branches were thick, tangled around one another, and formed a bridge from one tree to the next. "This way?" She started crawling slowly to the right of her. Ward nodded and Yuliah crawled ahead.
Quite some time passed before Yuliah stopped to check on Ward. His face mashed into her behind and she glared at him.
"How is this my fault? You're the one that stopped so soon," he mouthed angrily.
Yuliah rolled her eyes and continued going. They crawled through the entire forest, and through the night. By the time they reached the last tree, daylight peeked through the sky, and Yuliah could make out their surroundings. She could have sworn they were up higher when they started crawling through the forest and she continued onward.
It sounded like rushing water below them. "Do you hear that?" Yuliah asked.
Ward stopped to listen and then looked around. "Oh, shit! Don't look down. Just keep going."
"Don't look down?" Yuliah looked down and almost lost her footing, but Ward grabbed her back legs as she dangled off the branch. Somehow she and Ward crawled themselves over and above a rushing river, and the branch that lay ahead of them thinned out until it was about three-quarters of the way over the river and onto the other side.
"Help me up!" Yuliah hung upside down and skirt flipped over her head. Her entire bottom on full display for him to view. Thank the Gods for undergarments . From above Ward chuckled, and both hands took hold of Yuliah's ankles. This moment had to be one of her most embarrassing ever. At least the drop wouldn't kill her, but the river would. She didn't know how to swim, and Ryas taught her only the one time. These were the moments she regretted growing up so sheltered.
Ward finally pulled her up. His lips stretched wide from one side of his face literally to the other. "It's good I didn't feed you. Those extra meals would have made me lose my grip for sure," he laughed.
Ward's voice, it got to her, that her entire face grew hot. She reacted quickly and shoved him hard. A smug smile formed on her face from the look of Ward's twisted face, but realized her mistake. A drop in her stomach, the branch above her, and they both plunged into the river...
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The sun set twice and rose three times after she escaped. Nian followed the directions Yuliah gave but thought about going back. Maybe she could have a life as a breeder, even love, but Yuliah's words cast doubt in her thoughts. What if the Nomen they gave her too expected complete servitude? She'd served her entire family from childhood to the moment her step father sold her for ten gold coins and paid off his gambling debt. That's her worth ten gold coins…
The Nomens lived in the Ethereal Forest. She couldn't escape even if she wanted to. Plans didn't work out for Nian, not like it did for others. With that thought, Nian continued on.
The midday sun broke through the treetops and warmed the entire forest. Nian walked for hours. Sweat from the thick humidity soaked her entire shirt. She needed water. Without it, she'd die soon. The rush of water sent her into a run straight ahead and through the brushes. She didn't even mind the branches that scraped at her bare arms or the pain from her cracked and dried lips that stretched into a smile. Down a cliff side, water poured into a dark blue pool below. Her throat burned and Nian kneeled before the edge. Both hands formed into a scoop that dove right into the pooled water, then lifted. She brought a handful of icy water up. The cool moisture ?? on her lips, and the tips of her fingers almost to her mouth when a voice called from behind.
"I wouldn't fucken drink that. You'll be shitting yourself later."
Nian whisked around to find a man with dark contemptuous eyes glaring from his horse.
"General Ryas. There's a woman over here," the man leaned back then turned to Nian again. "What's your name?" He asked.
She didn't answer but only stared at him. He's too clean and handsome to be one of Ward's men, but spoke like one. She slowly inched away from him. Who is he?
"Are you Yuliah?" He asked.
He's not one of Ward's men. They wouldn't know Yuliah's name. Fear struck her heart. The Biah's! Nian jumped up. They were the only one's rich and powerful enough to send men after Yuliah. She wasn't even sure what direction to go and ran right into the water. If he caught her who knew what he'd do. The Biah's were cruel, and those they paid to finish their dirty deeds even crueler.
"What the fuck!" He cursed but Nian waded ahead. The water became waist deep and slowed her down. Soon it'd reach her neck and then above her head but she had to get away. He said she'd shit herself if she drank this water. Nian recalled and snapped her mouth shut tight.
"Where the fuck are you going?" He shouted.
She looked over her shoulder to find that the man and his horse they headed straight into the water after her with no resistance. Her heart skipped, and she quickly ??? stepped on a rock and slipped backwards. She was completely submerged in water when an arm reached down and grasped onto a handful of Nian's shirt. Then another arm around her waist.
"She doesn't speak," the man replied. "General, she might be a mute."
"Mute?" Nian touched her face. How offensive. She's a noble, not some woodland woman. Yes, she'd seen better days, but baths weren't easy to come by out here. Nian's dirt stained face turned towards the sound of more hooves. Another man came from behind and she locked gazes with his deep blue eyes. They weren't Northerners for sure. Nian scooted back when he rode right up to her. She leaned back to get a better look, but sunlight reflected off the armor he wore and blinded her. She cast her eyes downward and made out a long heavy sword fastened to his waist. Metals that were too rich to be owned by bandits and forged different from Northern soldiers.
"No, it's not her," the man had a disdain look on his face.
Many people looked at her with those same eyes, the fatherless noble girl without a coin to her name, or dowry to claim. It didn't bother Nian anymore that no man would marry her.
"Here - drink this." the man who found her tossed his water bag over.
Nian caught the bag and drank loudly. Yuliah did not have friends besides her brother and Corrin. She also did not keep any men around. How did these men know her? The more she looked at him, he didn't look like someone who wanted to hurt Yuliah. Could this man have left with Yuliah? "How do you know Yuliah?"
The man with blue eyes turned back. "You know her," his voice a panic.
"I do," Nian answered. "What do you want with her?"