*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera
I walked away from the camp and down the well-worn path, then through the arch way that was only half standing. The arch way seemed to once have been a great monument in years gone. I walked farther down the path before settling down on a smooth rock.
I started to move water from the ground. It took a bit of focus to bring water through the rocks. The full moon was shining just enough to see by. I wondered if Clay would decide to take me with him.
All of a sudden the light mist that had settled around my feet moved swiftly and took shape. I started as a small girl walked closer to me with a wildflower in her wispy fingers. "Aw." she giggled, swaying. She took steps closer towards me. She had no eyes instead there were just sunken shadows on her flat face.
She giggled again as she reached me. And placed the flower on my knee with another giggle. I felt kinda odd as I watched her. But I was surprised because this was my first time seeing a ghost.
"That's different." Monique said quietly in my head. I clutched my hands to my chest right where Seal lay and watched the ghost girl pick another flower and bring it to my knee. I smiled as she began giggling again.
Then the girl ran around me then disappeared when I turned to follow her with my eyes. She reappeared in front of me with a flower in each hand this time. I couldn't decide what to do about this.
She moved to take my hand with a light touch and pulled me from my seat with a nudge from the mist around us. My smile grew as I followed her farther from the tall cliff's at my back. "Come." She giggled again.
When she finally stopped the moon made her glow as she took both my hands before she began dancing around me. I wondered if maybe I should turn back and go back to the tents. But I didn't want to hurt her feelings.
So when she offered me a hand I took it. We danced for a while before I flopped down in the glass laughing silently and she faded into the mist once again. I smiled as I stared at the moon, before closing my eyes.
A sound like a foot step by my head made my eyes snap open and I sat up quickly, I turned to look over my shoulder, something strong grabbed my wrists, "Click. Click." My head swung around and I stared into brown triumph eyes.
The man grinned. "We got her capitan!" He called into the mist. I stared around wildly as a tall man with black hair and a triangle beard, and sea blue eyes came walking out of the mist. It was hard to miss the 10 or so men that followed him.
I was dragged to my feet as the man called the captain came to smile down at me, he had to be at least a head and shoulders taller than me. "Well it wasn't as hard to catch the mighty water mage as we thought." He chuckled. "Come on men! We are heading for the capital." His men cheered.
I was dragged aways before Monique spoke. "This isn't good." she said before she faded into silence. "Monique! MONIQUE!!" I yelled into my mind. But no answer came.
We came marching up to a group of horses and the men mounted. I decided to try and fight the man holding me as he was trying to get me up on the horse. But then I fell onto my back and the air was knocked out of me, I decided letting myself be lifted up was the best thing.
I was lifted on the front of the horse and the soldier climbed up behind me with a curse.
Then we started moving with a shout from the captain.
At some point I fell asleep slumped against the soldier, because I was jolted awake when the soldier moved to dismount. It was early in the morning maybe right before dawn I guessed as my eyes became accustomed to the light around us.
We had stopped at a small stream, and while the horses drank the soldiers drank too. I was dumped none too gently beside the water. "Drink up lass." The soldier said as he bent down to cup water in his hands to drink.
I squeezed back tears and focused my eyes intently on the water that rushed by. I tried to move it towards myself to move even a drop of it. But I could not feel anything, not even the usual fuzzy feeling of Seal.
"Look!" laughed one of the soldiers who came to stand beside me. "She is trying to control the water." Unlike the cuffs that had been placed on me before these were hooked together with a silver chain. I gritted my teeth and grimmised.
The soldier that had ridden with me laughed too.
"You know what lit silver is, don't you lass?" He moved to drag me to my feet again. "Come on, we best get going again." He sighed like he wasn't ready for the long ride.
I wasn't sure where we were headed but I was pretty sure we were headed straight back to the king. I wondered if Clay would notice I was gone. I doubted it, he would have probably already been about to leave by now.
He would ask Mari where I was and she wouldn't know so he would just leave without knowing. I wondered what would happen to me, a life in the service of the king was not my ideal life. I would have to wait for the right time to escape, but it wouldn't be easy.
I groaned as I was lifted back up into the saddle. My legs had become sore from the ride already, pain was sent through them again as the soldier climbed up behind me. "Here." He said as he handed me a piece of dried meat. "Eat that. It will keep your strength up."
I wanted to be surprised and wonder why he wanted my strength to be kept up, but I started eating anyway. It would take a lot to surprise me these days.
We started out again, and I settled myself down for a long ride. About an hour later the sun rose and the men seemed to be doing things to keep themselves awake.
Another soldier with blond hair and green eyes with a lanky frame started up a conversation with the soldier that sat on the horse with me.
"Hey Tucker, I was wondering what you were going to do with the time off the captain promised us once we got to the capital." Tuker sighed. "Not a clue." He replied. I watched ahead as they continued.
"The king is going to be so pleased with the captain, he will definitely have to give us a leave." Tucker almost seemed annoyed by the other, and I didn't blame him.
"I am sure we will get whatever the king decides. So how is your sister doing lately? Any word from her?" The other soldier grimaced. "None. I have been writing to her for about a year now, but she never answers."
I wondered if the poor soldier's sister had perhaps died while he was away. "Oh is that so." Tucker smiled. The other frowned. "I worry about her though, she is always messing around with the law." He paused.
"It makes me look bad as a great soldier of the king." I wanted to snort a laugh but Tucker beat me to it.
They both started laughing and I groaned as I watched the ground slowly start turning into move and move miles between my friends and the unknown.