Chapter 8: My Monster
I yawned. After everything that happened last night I was tired. The journey to Greytree would take a little longer than usual but it didn't matter much as we'd stay regardless. Today was preparation, tomorrow was death. It was unfortunate that driving the carriage did little to settle my nerves.
"Hey."
"Argh!" I almost dropped the reins to which Pina squawked.
Taylor stifled a laugh as she sat down beside me, "You know I was actually trying not to scare you that time."
"Well you could have fooled me," I breathed out tiredly. "Did you need something or are you just here to annoy me?"
"Why Rain, I'm simply here to enjoy your company," she grinned and poked my side. "So I saw you practicing with Earnest this morning. How's your hand?"
"A little itchy," I scratched at it. "Marley got rid of the pain but it still feels weird."
"If you used the technique I taught you, you probably could have avoided it."
"No and here's why. One, I'd collapse before I could even move and two, when you surprise Earnest he takes it seriously. I don't want to be stabbed again."
"Fair enough," she happily swung her legs off the side of the seat.
After a few minutes of silence Taylor started to hum. It was a soft tune that was fun yet had a melancholic flow to it. I'd never heard it before but considering Taylor was from the Empire it made sense I wouldn't.
"You're really enjoying yourself aren't you?" I said with my eyes still on the road.
"Yeah I am," she smiled. "Truthfully I was going to spend this entire journey keeping everyone at arm's length. In the end I am still a slave after all." She touched the collar on her neck lightly and it glowed ominously.
"What changed?" although I asked the question nonchalantly I really wanted to know. Before this Taylor rarely talked to me or anyone else other than to tease them. Since Wester however she had interacting with everyone, even Ronalt.
Her body shuffled closer to mine, "You really want to know?"
"Is that not allowed?" I tried to sound passive.
"Because of you," her answer surprised me. Then she laughed, "Don't let it inflate your ego. It's just, I thought we were the same. Two people forced to work regardless of the risks. Slaves to their power. I mean at least I kind of deserved it but you didn't do anything wrong. Despite that though, you did your job perfectly and even went beyond that. Talking with us, helping us, risking your life when you didn't need to." She sighed, "I felt like I wasn't putting enough effort in compared to you and this is me trying to change."
I was stunned to silence. I didn't realise that my actions had changed the path this much. All I wanted was to make them trust me so that tomorrow I'd live. A guilt began to form in my heart.
"I'm not really like this," my reply was weak. I was only like this because of desperation.
"You say that but you are," Taylor smiled a sweet innocent smile I never thought she could. It was an expression that I thought only the Hero would show me and it just dug into conscience even more. Would it be the same if she knew the truth about all I had done?
I shook off the feeling and cleared my throat, "S-so I never really thanked you last night for your lesson. Want me to teach you how to drive?" I offered her the reins.
"Rain are you being shy?" she asked teasingly.
"Did you want to learn or not?" I replied unable to look in her eyes.
She took the reins, "Sure, though to be honest teaching me how to drive a carriage isn't going to pay the cost."
"What, you want me to teach you how to cook?" I laughed.
"You'd do that?" her seriousness caught me off guard.
I wasn't sure how to reply, "Well…, I could."
Taylor paused and looked into the sky wistfully, "I've always wanted to learn. The most I could get when I was younger was dry bread over a fire with some cheese."
The carriage bumped as Pina began to veer off the road. I lunged forwards and held the reins in Taylor's hands properly.
"Let's focus on one thing at a time," I said.
"R-right," she concentrated once more.
I spent the rest of the morning teaching Taylor how to drive the carriage. Pina was an excellent bird and harmoniously obeyed Taylor with patience. It was actually much easier than my first time learning. I explained how to pull the reins to turn, how to command Pina by words and the differences between animals. She absorbed the knowledge easily, the girl had talent. Most of all however it kept my mind calm as I enjoyed myself more than perhaps I should have.
*
Greytree. The fortress town was the same as the last time I saw it. On Ronalt's instruction I parked the carriage at the usual inn. The Hero and her party took their bags to their rooms and I began to begin my preparations. I had to make sure that everyone's equipment was in top shape and the carriage would be ready for a rough ride. There was also a few potions I wanted to cook up. If worst came to worst I could rely on the mixtures to save my life. The ingredients the Queen had given us were some of the finest and their effects were much wider than curing poisons. A good potion could reattach someone's arm and a better one could grow a new one. Though the latter even my teacher couldn't make, plus it would cost a small fortune.
As I began to set up the apothecary station within the carriage I was surprised to hear a knock on the door. I opened it apprehensively. The Hero, Lara, was standing there.
"Hey Rain," she smiled.
"Hero, did you need something?" I asked remaining neutral.
She frowned, "I thought I said to call me Lara and wasn't that an order?"
"Apologies… Lara did you need something?" I asked once more.
"Not really I just thought you'd like to have lunch with us." It was an innocent invitation that I didn't expect.
"Sorry I-," I was about to refuse but on second thought I needed to talk with them all at once. The sooner the better. "Actually I'll come. Thank you for the invitation."
"No problem," once again she smiled. "Let's go."
"Of course," I nodded my head respectfully and followed as she led me towards a medium sized establishment. The others were already waiting. Ronalt narrowed his eyes at me when we entered but said nothing. At least now he wasn't releasing a full blown glare at me.
"Rain sit next to me," Taylor waved me over and I complied. The Hero- Lara ended up sitting on my other side. It was an oddly uncomfortable feeling having the two besides me. Thankfully after the past week I was now used to it, or at least somewhat.
After ordering our meals a light conversation went around the table. It was the same as usual although the surroundings were louder. Earnest was mostly quiet aside for when the talk came to swordplay. Marley was anxious to eat. Ronalt was stern as usual. Ardent kept up the conversation whenever it lulled. Taylor talked more so than her small usual quips, although I could see it was putting some strain on her. Finally the Hero- Lara was amicable like always, smiling at the simplest gesture.
As the meal began to wrap up and the restaurant began to quiet I calmed my mind and made my move. It was time to put all I had gone through this week into order. Let the act begin.
"Ronalt can I ask where we're going next?" I began while remaining all business.
He frowned slightly but answered in a low voice, "We'll be heading straight west into the border forest. There is a path we can take." Here we go.
I purposely paused and lost my composure, "Ah… I'm sorry did you say into the forest?"
"Yes is that a problem? If you are worried about the demons, we have a path."
"N-no demons aren't the problem," I let agitation leek into my voice. "Haven't you heard about the Monster?"
"Monster?" Ardent's interest was clear.
"Isn't it just a rumour?" Taylor asked.
I grit my teeth and answered bluntly, "No."
"Hang on, you sound like you've seen it," Taylor looked at me dubiously. "The rumours say it's a giant fish that swims through the ground that swallows trees whole. That's just not possible." She laughed and Ronalt scoffed.
I remained serious, "It's worse than that."
"You're kidding right?" Taylor's expression began to crumble into surprise.
"Again no. I wish I was," I huffed as the memories entered my mind. My skin paled recalling the Monster crushing the people in front of me and finally myself. There was no need to act.
"Rain please explain," Ardent looked at me curiously.
I began my pre-planned tale, "Three years ago I came through here with one of my foster parents. He's a skilled Hunter and I learnt how to use the bow from him. The game in the forest is good and we were also curious to the rumours so we went deeper across the border than we should have." I paused again as if it was hard to speak about. Honestly it was. "What we saw doesn't make sense but it was real. From atop a small hill we saw a carriage being chased through the forest and behind it trees were being gouged from the earth as if they weighed no more than leaves. The thing was beyond huge." I described the Monster as best I could, from its width and length to its many eyes and gaping mouth. Their attention was plastered to my words. "Worse still the people in the carriage, demons I think, they didn't just run, they tried to fight back. The Monster spewed out some weird fog and their magic stopped working. In the end all we could do was watch them eventually crash and be eaten."
Marley shook nervously, "Th-that's a bit much…." Just from hearing my words she was frightened.
Ronalt looked at me incredulously, "That is some story Rain."
"What you don't believe me?" I replied with more force than I meant to. "Sorry, I don't like recalling it."
"Is that why you've been looking stressed lately?" The Hero- Lara asked me.
I was surprised she noticed, "I had a feeling we would be passing through, so yes."
"Ardent is there any truth to this?" Ronalt asked with a level tone.
"Rain's description sounds too real to be fake however I must say I've never heard of a creature like so. To prevent the formation of mana is rare for a monster. Then again the world is vast and it is not my specialty."
"I see…," Ronalt frowned in thought.
"I have seen such a creature," Earnest spoke shocking us all. "In my home we call them sand whales. They lurk in deserts and swim through the sands preying on unsuspecting victims. The description fits however I have never heard of one so large or able to stop magic."
"Can you kill them?" Ronalt questioned darkly.
"I've killed a small one by myself before," the glint Earnest's eyes became almost challenging.
As much as it was handy to have Earnest back up my story at this rate we'd end up going down that route anyway. The only thing that would lead to would be a painful death.
I hardened my resolve, "We need to take another path. If we can at least head further north or south first."
For a moment Ronalt said nothing. He looked at me, and then everyone else. Please. Please don't do this. My eyes pressured him with sincerity. They believed me. My story as half a lie as it was had worked. I couldn't do much better than this.
Finally Ronalt opened his mouth, "Our plans have not changed."
I stood up and yelled, "You can't be serious!"
Ronalt rose from his seat towering over me, "Know your place Rain. You'll do as I say."
I slammed the table, "Then we're all going to die!" A glass rolled shattering to the floor spilling the wine inside like blood.
He scoffed, "If you're afraid, leave."
I laughed callously, "You think I can? You honestly think I'll make it a week alive if I do? Do you think I accepted this job willingly? If I could, I'd go back home in a heartbeat but no. If I did my home would be burned to the ground."
Silence. Despite his righteousness Ronalt knew just how some of the nobility were. As secret as our mission was, a commoner like me speaking out against them would never end well. He couldn't say anything because it was true. And as the silence continued my beating heart settled and instead became cold. I finally noticed their faces. My outburst, the stress that had been piling within me the past few weeks, the anxiety. I wanted to hide it but now it was in the open and as I looked back at them I didn't know what to think. They were shocked, Marley was even afraid.
My body tightened and I stepped back, "I have things to prepare." Without another word I left.