No one else heard his cruel words, I know he's only trying to say that to hurt me, my home is alright and everyone is alright, he's only trying to mess with my mind, right?
With a triumphant smirk he walks past me, I take in deep breaths to calm my temper down; there is no need to retaliate if his words mean nothing to me, and so I should just pretend like nothing just happened now? If I say something it may cause more tension than is needed.
Besides we just made peace I wouldn't want to ruin it, so this time I won't say anything for now. Maybe I can speak to him privately and try to make peace reign between us.
I watch their backs that are covered by white shirts and black trousers; we walk down the forest with Arcotos by my side and Dion behind me.
My mind battles with my heart, why is everyone so on edge to make me believe my family is gone? Is it part of some master plan? And even if it is some sick plan, why?
No, it is not possible they would never leave me like that.
We travel through the forest grounds for hours, the sun shines above us brightly however it doesn't bring much heat with its rays because of the trees that uses their branches and leaves to shield us from the sun's harsh light.
What time of the year is it anyway? It feels like summer is almost over autumn is getting ready to take over. Although the sun is shining the cool autumn breeze teases our skin letting us know he would soon arrive.
I look up to the sky to see if I can at least know what time of the day it is, my attempts are fruitless because I hadn't finished learning how to tell the time with Dana. Maybe I can find a book in our library that could teach me how, it is actually very important.
Something I didn't realize until Dana brought it up.
I listen to the sounds the debris and fallen leaves make each time we step on them, and when we pass by a bush and it makes little sounds that feel like they are wishing us well on our journey.
Am I going mad?
I don't know, but one thing is for sure I can not control my thoughts at all, one thing is going on in my head, another thing is running through my mind and all while I am trying to focus on getting something done.
Take yesterday for an example, I had been so lost in thought to the point I had thought no one spoke to each other the whole time, to begin with is that even possible? There's a simple answer to that.
No! It is not possible to walk for how many hours in a day with a group of beings and no one would say a word among themselves, especially the two winter fairies they know themselves so how possible is it that they would walk side by side without saying anything?
I really need to pay more attention to my environment, look what transpired this morning, I had no idea that they had tried to call my attention the whole time, but if they really wanted my full attention why didn't anyone tap me?
"We're almost there." What? That can't be right.
I push my legs to move faster to catch up with Twist who is at the front leading us on a small trail through the forest.
"Are you sure we are on the right path?" His lips open to answer my question.
"Go back to where you once were princess; we wouldn't want something bad to happen to you now would we? After all he said we are almost there." I don't miss the fact that he called me princess mockingly and that he had cut Twist off before he had a chance to speak.
"Oliver stop it! Behave will you? Oh goodness…" He turns his face away from Oliver who's behind us to face the trail we're walking on ahead and then continues to address me, "Don't pay mind to him princess, he can be overbearing sometimes but I know he means no harm." I hope so Twist.
Before I could stop myself I steal a glance from the fuming fairy behind us, he catches me then snares at me, at this point I don't think he wishes me well that's for sure. But why does he dislike me so much? Is it because of yesterday or is there something else?
I turn my face around quickly and try to listen closely to what Twist is trying to tell me, "… Shorter. This is the best and safest path to your lands as well so this had been our best option, plus our king wants you back in one piece."
This is the only thing I had focused enough to hear and out of everything he said something catches my attention, the fact that he said Ambrose wants me brought back to him in one piece.
If I wasn't suspicious before, then I definitely am right now, why would he tell them to bring me back to him?
It is either he had said the truth about my family which I highly believe he had been lying to keep me there but for what reason? But what tricks does he have up his sleeves? After all, he practices black magic. And most importantly, why does he want me around so much? Maybe he has fallen for me? Does he in some way love me?
I couldn't help myself the thought makes me burst out laughing, what? It is so ridiculous, the idea alone is utterly foolish, and it really shouldn't be entertained at all if ever.
Because why would anyone ever fall for wolfwoman like me who has very little breasts that are barely round, my hips are practically non-existent at this point, and I am not exactly the type of wolfwoman any other being would want for a wife because I don't even know the first thing about being a wife.
I can't even cater for myself so how can I cater for my husband, or my children and since I am royalty how can I take care of an entire kingdom? This is one of the main reasons I believe it is a bad idea for them to hand the thrown to me.
"Oh alright, I was worried you missed our way to Pohjola because it took us about four days to get out of there, I think." He shakes his head while he faces forward.
"I don't know how you two survived that journey princess. The path you both took was very dangerous and still is. Princess Dana informed me that she found you both in a hole."
"Uhm that's true we first met there, luckily she and Aoife had been hunting around that area." I try to sneakily steal a glance from him hoping he wouldn't notice since he is so focused on watching the ground ahead.
"I already know of the story. It had been a good thing because down that same path you were both on, a sinking sand had been there up ahead a few steps more in that direction, you all would have died for sure." What?
He turns to look at me and sees the look of astonishment on my face then continues to say, "You are very lucky you had fallen in there, though you claim it was by accident we believe it had been fate." Is he being serious? Fate?
I'm no one special so why would fate be interested in helping me?
We fall silent after that and I notice that Arcotos is now by my side leaving Oliver behind me and Dion behind him. The bushes of different plants try to brush us with their outstretched branches and leaves, some caught unto us but let us go almost immediately.
I have to agree for one thing though, this path is remotely very easy to tread on, and it can in no way be compared to the path we tried to navigate when we were on the run for our lives.
Well, Dion had been the one to navigate our way through the forest the entire time while I followed after him. I know it is staring at me right in the face that he had saved my life twice, or three times? And maybe I should just forgive him for that sake because as it is at this point I owe him my life.
The question that keeps haunting my mind is will he have saved me if my family hadn't told him to?
The first had been when he saved me from the food table room, those horrible beings would have found me there for sure, and then he also risked his life twice to face those horrible beings just so I could get the chance to escape.
When he had tried to kill the being that had tied Felicity to my bed, and when he and Felicity decided to waver the beings that were after us when we were trying to escape.
Oh poor Felicity, I pray her soul rests in the bosom of Boreas, I feel ashamed of myself I had never truly mourned her death, hopefully my family and the rest of my people had found her body and given her a befitting burial meant for a heroine because that's what she is.
Come to think of it he had also saved me from under that frozen lake, thinking of it makes the memory of being trapped by ice under water become fresh in my mind and it feels like yesterday when my lungs had burned so bad like it had fire placed inside them, my throat had begged for air to pass through it to the lungs instead of water.
Strange enough this memory doesn't seem to bother me very much and I don't know why, there has to be something wrong with me because I had come so close to death on so many occasions yet I had survived one way or another.
The word "survive" makes me sound like I fought my way out of it, well I was saved from all these situations and they had all put their lives at risk.
Oh my Boreas!
Tears quickly gather my eyes and without hesitancy flow down my face, Oh my Boreas, oh no!
"What's wrong Aadya!?" I watch a bright light ahead of me drowning out the image of Dion that seems to be above me.
"Huh, what happened?"
He helps me to sit up. How did I get here on the floor? I look around me to see Twist genuinely looking afraid, is he afraid of me? I watch him closely and realize he is afraid for me.
At his side there Oliver stands watching me closely like he is trying to understand something very strange like he is confused and doesn't know what to make off me, his eyes, his scrunched brows, the way his lips slightly lift at the top and the way the muscles on his face squeezes tells me.
I turn away from them and look at my left side to see Arcotos running round in circles restlessly, he stops and starts making whistle sounds when he sees me looking at him, he then comes close to me, sniffs my face and neck then continues to make those whistle noises.
With great effort I lift my hand to rub the back of Arcotos' ear so he would calm down, why do I feel so weak? One moment I was walking and thinking and the next thing I know I am being awoken from the forest floor.
Suddenly, I feel my entire body shaking, fear immediately flashes through my veins to my heart but soon I realize it had only been Dion who is still crouched down on one knee while his big hands hold my shoulders and gently shakes me till I look into his eyes.
"Aadya? Can you hear me now?" I nod my head to say yes, that small action feels like so much work, why am I so weak? Why couldn't I hear him? What is happening to me?
"What's going on Dion?" He lifts up one knee and puts an arm behind my back and another under my legs then he stands up with me in his arms which are strong yet so soft.
"We are not sure but it seems that you had been walking, then we don't know what happened to you next because you had screamed then you just fainted." What? Why would I just behave like that? What is wrong with me?
Did Ambrose do something to me? What is happening to me? I feel very weak and dizzy, before I can properly think I feel my eyes drooping then it goes black behind my eyelids.