With strength, I thrust the spear into the water. The silver spined fish flapped its body, its scales shining off the sun's afternoon rays. Water sprayed from its fins as the spear impaled its flesh. Behind me the water rushed through my bare feet, only slightly touching my knees. It rippled beside me when Yeon sloshed his way through holding up his catch in plain sight. Those great brown widish eyes reflected his joyous expression of triumph.
"I think we can say I am much better at this than you, Ash."
He tapped the fish twice that his own spear skewered. The fish underneath still wriggled, making his arm sway along to it's bending. Only wanting to annoy me, he lost concentration and the balance he had removed itself. Seconds after wobbling, he then slipped into the water with the spear still in his hand. Water launched into the air and all over me, soaking my shirt.
"Please Yeon, with balance like that, I could win any challenge you throw at me." I snickered back.
This seemed to tick him off. An accomplishment, I'd say.
Yeons's arm extends forward and points his finger in my direction. The now drenched bandages slide off his bony arm.
"You won't be laughin' much longer Ash, just you wait!"
"Ha ha, yeah okay. Whatever helps you sleep at night!"
With the chance now given, I dashed into the water, as hard as it was, and jumped over the larger rocks we placed to create the bridge. My dress stuck to my legs while the wind whipped at my skin. Free was all I could feel when we came here. We get to mess around with no one watching, with no one observing our movements. No sudden orders. Just, free.
The Grassland came into view, the vast never ending green with specks of purple. I could even see the tiny pathway if I squinted. The memory of Yeon and I running our way and him falling into the dirt resurfaced. The dirt won and packed quite a punch for Yeon, he was limping for weeks before he was back to normal.
I turned back looking at him just making the rock I was on moments before. He slightly wobbled after making it an unbalanced mess.
"Hurry it up! Don't want our backsides stingin' again!"
The mere memory of it he winces and agrees before speaking up.
"For sure, I'm not getting that ever again, yeesh."
He lands next to me and claps his spare hand on his leg as the other still holds the two fish.
"Well then, race you back?"
Not even a countdown and he's running at full speed, disappearing in the tall blades of green.
His light oak locks are barely visible to me now, so I try to catch up to him. My breaths come out in pants and a sweat is beading down my forehead. It's hot and we're full on running. Complete idiots we are. Though I have to admit, it's fun.
Yeon's high-pitched voice echoed through the valley. He was not that far from me.
"Ash, are you going your best? I can't see ya! Must be too slow for me!"
Oh, how wrong you are my friend. Very wrong indeed.
Gathering my inner strength and remaining breaths of air, I rush through the strands. I could feel some were lapped around my legs from still being wet. My hair bounced and thrashed around with the wind when I picked up my speed. In sight, he is just ahead. Noticing this, he tried to run much quicker but again with his unpredictable and wrong timed balance, he's suddenly airborne then plummets down, smacking his face into the ground.
"Seriously? I'm starting to think you do this on purpose!"
Still laying on the ground, probably in pain, he grunts and groans before wiping his face after dusting himself off.
"This is getting really annoying now."
I walk near his side and squat down to his level. Placing my palm against my chin and other arm on the knee. He is so entertaining to observe. All his quirky ways.
"Need any help there?"
Struggling, he uses his arms to push himself up halfway before jumping back up on both feet. Where he gets the energy, you tell me. He displays his hand to me, opening for me to take. Gladly accepting, he helps me up and then walks away to find his fish. He's going to need another bandage.
As he stands and leaves, I notice a flower in the ground just behind him. I reach over and pluck it out of the ground; It was beautiful.
A sigh escapes him when he returns, forwarding my attention to him.
"What you got there?" He comes in closer and observes the flower with me with curiosity clear in his eyes.
"That's weird."
I turn my head to him in question.
"What?"
He joggles his head and then stares harder.
"Nothing really, just that these flowers only grow in snow. That's why I am confused why one is here. It shouldn't be able to sprout in these regions. The suns aways out."
"That is strange. Do you know the name of them?"
Again he shakes his head, he's done a lot of that recently. He gives me a smile and reaches his hand to me.
"We better hurry. I can already feel the burn on my frail cheeks."
I shake my head then continue walking without him.
"What? They need to be protected."
"Yeon, stop talking. Please"
I heard him dramatically gasp before placing his left arm on my shoulder. Using his spear hand, he punches the air.
"Ash, you shouldn't lie to yourself that you don't like my angelic voice."
I brush off his arm and flick his left ear. He let out a yelp before rubbing it.
"There's nothing angelic about you."
"Ah, so you think I'm devilish?" He smirks.
I will not punch him, just ignore him and keep walking.
Fillian.
"Sorry, couldn't hear you, say again?"
I stare at the flower in my hand, a sense of familiarity passes me.
"I think this flower is called a Fillian."
He too stares at the flower, then back at me strangely.
"Why would you know this?"
A good question, why would I know this? It's a flower we have never heard the name of, so why do I suddenly have this feeling that I know this flower. This pale coloured flower of pink.
"Just a feeling."
He scoffs then places his arms behind his head to stare at the evening rays.
"Just a feeling she says."
----------------
After hearing and ignoring his voice countless times, we finally arrive at the entrance of the town. Two young children sprint past us without a care in the world. Poor Yeon is nearly wiped off the floor again before Anika steps in and saves his embarrassment of falling head first. Her silver bangles jingled when they touched, and her honey dew eyes glowed.
"Back so soon, guys? Would have thought another hour or two before you came running back."
I let out a big laugh and pointed my thumb in Yeon's direction and squinched my face.
"Stumbles here, kissed the ground hello and goodbye repeatedly. I thought we should leave it for today before Ronan has our butts."
"No, Ashlyn! Don't spill my dirty secrets!"
I waved him off and continued embarrassing him.
"The only thing that's dirty is your face. It's covered in gravel and dirt."
I squint my eyes closely and look once more at his face. The slight freckles and the tiny scar remained on his skin. A single blade of grass was stuck to his face, just underneath his dimple.
I pinch his cheek and raise it for them to see, backing away slowly while twirling the blade of grass.
"Oh, look here! There's even a sliver of grass!"
I cut my laugh short when I feel and hear metal clang against my back. It pressed hard into my shoulder blades, surprising me with how cold it was. In instinct, he lightly holds my shoulders to stop me from falling. It's a firm hold, almost painful, but enough to know that the person was there. Sweat and pine traveled through the air, along with something cold, icy. Almost piercing my skin from the temperature. It was as if I was in a blanket of snow. Cold.
Turning my face downwards, eyeing the sword that dangled from the person's waist. Long sun kissed fingers curled around the hem of the weapon. I couldn't help but notice the unbelievably bulky ring the person wore. A giant black band with indented and carved swirling patterns that reflected silver. Little bits of gold entwined with the sliver. It was exquisite to see.
I tried to take a small step forward but was tugged back. My eyes searched for the source, finding that my ragged dress had caught on a sharp point of the person's amour. Seems we both realised at that moment I was stuck to them. I watched carefully when hands were raised, then placed at the flimsy cotton. The guard tugged up hard, revealing more of my dirt and gravel covered legs. With the help, I was detached and could move again. Not wasting any time, I hopped in front, then spun around, finally facing the soldier.
Hard rounded silver covered the head and body. It fitted them perfectly, like a glove. A strong tight and muscular glove. The golden light spread over their body, cloaking them in a beautiful orange glow. Strange since he was cold to the touch.
"Forgive me, I was not aware you were behind me."
This was all too embarrassing. Even more when they never spoke back. It was unheard of. Normally I would have been slashed across the face by now. I should be screaming from fear or pain.
Anika, Yeon and I looked at each other, confused on what to do. I could tell Yeon had enough of the awkwardness and shuffled his feet on the ground. Anika took control of the team and gave us both a stirn nod, we knew what I would be in for. There was no going back.
"Well, I apologise for bumping into you, but we must go back now."
I stayed behind while the other two walked back. I feel like this person seems different from the other soldiers. I once saw a baker's child refuse to sell a slice of turkish bread and was punished severely. Even now the long jagged scars remain on his arms. This person in front of me didn't hit or cut me. Only silence is what I've received.
I turn and take a step towards the direction of the inn.
A deep muffled voice came from inside the silver.
"When the bell sounds don't go to the meeting."
Quickly, I spun to face him now knowing it was a man within the armour. Could I have heard wrong?
"A meeting with whom?"
Still, the guard only watches me. Not even his breathing is noticed. He was oddly still.
"Take my advice, don't go with the others. It's a culling of the poor."
This had shocked me. Sure the rich were vile and evil towards the unfortunate, but they wouldn't end our lives. In order to live in the town peacefully we have to uphold the promise with the lord and King.
"What do you mean a culling of the poor?"
He observed me and listened, mainly the only thing he seemed to be able to do.
"The King has demanded a new promise. Sell your young women to the surrounding lords or die by the sword."
Cull? End the life of the young women? He must be sick in the head. Sure we have our huge differences with the wealthy but none has killed another.
"That can't be true! Bless you're insane!
His eyes did not waver from mine, he knew all along what would happen to us.
"Insane as I might be, It's best if you listen and don't go to the meeting. Your life, not mine, do what you want, just be aware girl."
His armour and sword clanged against the chain as he moved past me. A strong scent of sandalwood wavered towards me. It was inviting and annoyingly attractive. Leaving me in my own thoughts, the twilight covered sky sprayed with rainfall. A storm was coming and it was going to be deadly. Why is the temperature seeming to drop in everything now of all days.
It seemed that I stayed put in this spot for a long time. It was already pouring but I didn't want to move. My hair was dripping and was slick to my skin. My legs are now mixing between a light blue and purple.
I was being stared at weirdly, hushing their children to avert their eyes from the crazy woman. No it wasn't crazy but this moment right here, I was surely turning into one. My mind can't wrap around the idea of what's to come.
Suddenly, I felt a surge of heat through my fingertips. I look down and rotated my hand towards my face in wonder. There, I saw a slight orange glow spread along my skin to my knuckles before disappearing completely. In an instant my hands were freezing. Pain shot through my arm to the sides of my neck. It was piercing as it rushed through my being. A bell rang loud in my ears, strinking me to the ground. My head buzzed and my vision blurred until the sound vibrated to a stop.
I waited for a bit to make sure I was able to stand. With a struggle I drag my feet in, my knees nearly touching my stomach. Forcing my palms into the dirt, I raise myself up into a sitting position and watch the rain pour as if in slow motion.
I slosh my feet in the ground and make my way through the fogged up pathways and loud voices of the men shutting away their markets. Every one of them were quick and rushed with bits of fish flying everywhere, no way as clean from how it was earlier today.
Goats and cows trutted past me along with two children covered in mud and grass. One of them bumped into me trying to urge the cows faster. Fast enough to get out of the storm's eyes. I don't blame them for being pushy, I know at their age, if you were late for even just a minute that's two lashings across the back of the legs. I still feel the cold sting every once in a while.
I look up at the old oak sign that swung violently with the wind. The Geralds Inn was my home for now. Better than the backstreets of Bullings Court though, anything other than there was better.
I open the door letting the cold air and my drenched self in. My toes were numb and my face was sore. I lifted the basket up from the floor and made my way into the entrance where Marina waited with an open mouth. As soon as she saw me standing in the entrance of the door she stopped stirring the pot.
"Bless child, you're going to get sick if you don't hurry into warm clothes. My dear you are soaked!"
She walked closer and put out her hand.
"Quickly now! Pass me the basket and spear, I'll run you a bath."
Although a bath sounds wonderful right now, we need to escape from this place.
She ushered me into the bathroom placing the basket and spear into the crates beside the door. It was only the three of us that live here. Anika, Yeon and I help pay the coin for Marina as she is getting old by the days to come. We sell the fish and herbs we collect from the mountain valleys and separate and order them out to the townspeople. Unfortunately there won't be a sale for a while now.
I placed my hands on her old frail fingers that clung to my shoulders in an attempt to shove me into the bathroom.
"Listen Marina, we have to leave now! There's something bad happening right now and we need to get out of this place."
She shook her head, her smile fading instantly with the thought of leaving her home. Leaving her town, the place where she grew up.
"No we can't do that child, we still have to stay here. We can't leave outside, It's too dangerous!"
"Bless Marina!, We need to leave now. I can't explain just yet, just know that we will die if we stay okay?"
I shake her slightly to make sure she got the message.
"Are you ready?"
"Marina?"
Her response was small but it was enough to set everything into motion. I quickly rushed to the drawers frantically pulling on the handles, I was afraid the bloody things would fly off with the force I had taken. I snatched out the cotton bag with our leftover coins and picked up my pendant. Black with red swirls surrounding the sides and a gold ring following around the abyss stone. I must never leave it.
I turned to her, raising the bag, it made it jingle.
"We don't need to take food, we can find that in the woods. Now we just need the two idiots."
Her bushy eyebrows creased in confusion and wrinkled her mouth.
"Anika and Yeon Marina."
Her eyes lit up in realisation.
"Oh."
It was quiet for four seconds until the bell rang. It swallowed the fear from us, and resurfaced something else. Anger. They were going to slaughter us and send every young woman off for coin. I am seething with a fiery rage. It was uncontrolling and consuming me further down the seconds went on.
"Okay lets's get out of here Mari."
With a final nod we closed the Inn for good and left building to run through the flooded streets. Men, women and children were traveling in lines ready to hear the lords words of wisdom. I felt sick when I noticed that they were all happy and completely oblivious to the doom that was waiting for them. All walking in slow and repeated order. The children copying their parents to not look different from them. Everyone seemed to fit perfectly well, I was the outsider. It was like observing a chess match from above. Watching the pieces being pushed into line, ready to fall for any sacrifice. The pieces scrape against the board anxious to be picked up. Someone is playing a wicked game. Someone wants to rule this chaos.