Annalise and I waited outside with our horses as Troy brought his up. We mounted them as Troy trotted in front of us.
"The Fray Forest has decent game. It's only a 30-minute ride away. I'll lead ya'll!" Troy beamed at us as he guided his horse. Annalise held a giggle back as she followed him. I raised a brow at the two as a sly smile crossed my face. Oh, there's something between those two. I decided to focus on that rather than the information I just received from George and Lilly.
We trotted through the gates, passing the other guards, turning to follow the trail to the east.
"So, I know it's only been a day since you've been here, but how are you settling in Annalise?" I questioned her as my horse trotted next to her.
"Well, it's been ok so far. I've been trying to help with laundry. I'm also trying to help out with the griffin, he's just so young, if we trained him early, he'd be useful to us down the line." She looked in my direction as she finished.
"Any plans on heading back to your old clan?" I questioned as I saw Troy slightly stiffen up in front of us. She nodded a no, while she glanced at the floor. I knew that look all too well.
"Yea, I don't know what I'm going to do when my contract is up." I lied. I knew I'd be heading back home, even if I didn't want to. Lilly grumbled.
"You don't have to go back. You can break ties." Lilly responded to me. I was mad at her so I ignored her.
"I'd like to stay here in Astion if possible. I know it'll be hard, with it mostly being just humans, but I'd still like to try." Annalise piped up, more cheerful at the thought.
"Oh! I'm sure Prince Sebastian needs more help. Maybe ask him to hire you?" Troy looked over his shoulder smiling at her. She blushed and looked downwards.
"I don't know if I can ask that of him... he's already done so much for me."
"Ah, he might be terrifying young miss, but deep down he's a softie. Especially when it comes to people with extraordinary gifts." Troy smiled wide as we continued forward.
Extraordinary gifts? That's a nice way to say, mythical creatures.
"So, Troy, may I ask how old you are?" I asked.
"Yea! I'm seventeen. I joined the guards when I was sixteen. Sir Garrett is an old family friend." He turned to the right, and our horses followed.
"Do you like it so far?" Annalise spoke softly as she fidgeted with her reigns.
"It's… interesting. Far more interesting since I've met Sebastian, but good interesting." Annalise giggled at his response.
"Yeah... he's really something else," I whispered out as I scanned the tree line next to us.
"Yup, he's pretty down to earth for a demon," Annalise chipperly said. Troy halted his horse, causing us to stop as he snapped his horse back towards us. His cool, calm demeanor was replaced with anger, causing Annalise to flinch. I shot Troy a look, he returned one back at me as his face softened.
"I'm sorry, it's just something we don't discuss... I was told to not... pry, and if I were to see anything to ignore it. He's my duty to protect." Troy tilted his head towards Annalise apologetically as I moved up next to her.
"It's something not a lot of people know about, it's a secret he wants to keep under wraps." I placed my hand on her shoulder as she was trembling. Troy looked utterly destroyed by her reaction.
"I'm really sorry Annalise, I didn't mean to..."
"It's OK Troy. It happens..." she trailed off as she wiped tears from her cheeks. Troy sighed, turning his horse back around and leading us to our destination. I patted her back, then kicked the sides of my horse to trot up next to Troy.
"You need to be more careful. She's been through a lot, and you could break her with the simplest thing," I said in a low voice. Troy hung his head low.
"You've been through the same thing... how are you... so poised?" He glanced at me. My face hardened to his words. My jaw clenched as I searched for an answer.
"Because Troy... Just like Sebastian, we all have our demons." I pulled the reigns back on my horse to fall behind him and Annalise as I kept replaying everything that happened in my head. How was I so fine? Because I always have someone with me.
"I'm sorry I'm so mad at you Lilly... I know what you did was to protect me, but it's going to take me some time to get over it." I whispered to her. Lilly nuzzled me as we arrived at the forest entrance.
We hopped off our steeds, tying them off to a tree as Annalise scanned the floor. Troy handed me a bow, as he flung his over his shoulder. I made my way up to Annalise. I just noticed the height difference between her, me and Troy. She was a solid 6'0, which is small for an orc. She was also pretty petite for her species, but he arms looked like she could rip tree stumps in half. She saw me staring as she wrapped her arms around herself.
"I'm sorry Annalise, I was just admiring you. You're so beautiful." I beamed at her, knowing all too well that pose she held. She dropped her arms, smiling at me. Troy cleared his throat as he walked up next to us. He was my height, 5'11 with short golden-brown hair and green eyes. They shone brightly every time he laid them on Annalise's hazel ones.
"Those two like each other." Lilly giggled as I rolled my eyes. Annalise led us into the forest, halting occasionally as she picked up the tracks of a boar. We followed it for a while, winding down hills, crossing small rivers, and startling a herd of deer. I'd go for one of those, but the boars here have more meat on them.
We ended up in a meadow, surrounded by tall grass that obscured our vision.
"Be careful, boars are dangerous, especially if you can't see them. Their tusks can gut you in one go." Troy whispered as we all crouched through the grass. I sniffed the air, seeing if I could pick up its scent just in case it did a surprise attack, but the whole field reeked of them. We continued forward, entering a clearing. Annalise stooped down, rubbing the floor with her fingertips.
"It should be here..." She raised looking around. I inserted my arrow into the string, drawing it back as I listened intently. Annalise gasped as she turned to us, pointing at a baby that exited the tall grass. My heart sank as I heard the grunting of the adults. Not an adult. ADULTS.
I aimed, launching an arrow at one of the boars that stepped through. The arrow barely grazed it. Jesus, these things are huge! It roared at us, charging as I heard others rearing up getting ready to charge. Troy drew his bow back, aiming and releasing an arrow into one of the adult's eyes, causing it to turn sharply and run back into the grass. I rolled out of the way as another charged me.
"Fuck!" I exclaimed as another skewered me through the back. I pulled myself off its tusk, spinning around and grabbing its head. I snapped it as my wound healed, slowly. More slowly than usual. I snapped my head towards Troy, who barely dodged another one, as Annalise grabbed him, dragging him up to his feet. So much for rest, sorry Lilly... I froze as my armor wouldn't come out.
"Sorry Lilith... my energy is depleted, the spell breaking and fighting with the full moon took all I had. I tried telling you," Lilly whispered to me. I ground my teeth as I shoved off the floor, moving quickly to close the gap between my group and me. I slid to them, grabbed the bow off the floor, loaded it, and launched an arrow into a boar. It fell and slid on the floor as the arrow stuck out of its heart.
"Look out!" Troy yelled as he shoved me out of the way.
"No! Stupid boy!" I hissed as a boar's tusk slowly moved towards his back. I felt everything slow down as I expected the tusk to skewer poor Troy, but utter shock washed over me as Annalise stepped in.
She grabbed it by the tusks, twisting and body-slamming the squealing creature onto the floor. She roared as she twisted its head, snapping it. She stood up, throwing a punch into another's face, sending it flying. She stood her ground as she huffed, glaring down at the rest of the sounder of boars who backed off slowly. They snorted at each other, then turned, taking their babies and the survivors back into the grass.
Annalise, turned to us, her shoulders moving up and down as her chest heaved. She brushed her dark hair out of her face as she helped me and Troy up.
"I'm... sorry." She bowed once we were on our feet. "That was my mistake, I should have noticed it was a nest." She stood up, tears in her eyes as I grabbed her, pulling her into a hug.
"You did amazing! Thank you!" I hugged her tightly as she squeezed me. Troy's jaw was on the floor as he gawked at her. I looked at him, gesturing for him to close his mouth. He snapped his jaw shut as Annalise turned to the three boar bodies on the ground.
"George better not complain about not having meat," Troy said as we all busted out in laughter