Young Writers Society

Chapter 10

The world slowed as I admired the golden field beside our camp site. Ice settled over the wheat left in the field from the past summer's crop. Each individual sprig leaning over eachother, straining with the heavy burden they were given during the night. Dark splotches of rock disturbed the ever pure, snow covered ground. A radiant sun slowly greeted the field with a golden spray of colour, the mythical sparkle making it come alive. Playing tricks on my eyes, it seemed to move like waves lapping gently at a boat. I breathed in deeply, the crisp air filling my lungs with the refreshing taste of nature.

"Shit," Gideon mumbled under his breath as he counted the last of our coin. He sat across the small fire I'd made the previous night, his brows furrowed in a worried scowl.

"How much do we have left?" I asked, bringing my attention away from the entrancing view before me and back to him.

He shifted the money in his hand, recounting quickly before grimacing, "We have about two dozen copper and a few trinkets we could trade."

I winced, "That's barely enough to buy supplies for another week. We still have a month of travelling ahead of us and that's just to get us there. There's no knowing how much passage on a ship will cost. Probably a fortune."

I sat there, realizing how big of a problem this was. There were a few possibilities but each had their own risk. Ignoring the problem was definitely not an option. We would run out within the next few days and we needed to continue. I knew the men from the forest would soon pick up our trail and I wanted to be as far away from them as possible. That required money to do so.

"How far is that one town on the coast before we get to Aramore Port?" Gideon asked.

"Uh," I mumbled to myself as I flipped the map out of my pack and trailing my finger along the coast, I exclaimed in triumph, "Here! Dalry is it's name. Why?"

"Well, I'm thinking that we should stop there, earn some coin for a week or two and see where that gets us. It's not the best of situations but it's better then running out and being stranded. How far out from us is it?"

I glanced down at the map again before answering his question, "I think it's about two weeks from us. I could be wrong but by what the map says and the smell of the ocean when the wind blows, that's what I'm thinking."

He nodded his head, his eyes still heavy with worry.

He grunted and sighed, "I don't like it. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. It's the perfect opportunity for Bernard to strike at us and we wouldn't be able to do anything about it. With the Niarane Sea blocking us on the South side, we'll have limited space for escape."

I smiled and looking down at the map, I pointed as I spoke, "True but we have forest on the West side, the sea to the South and open road to the North and East. The Niarane Sea can be used to our advantage if we find a ship. If we can, there's no reason to go all the way to Aramore. We can just work our way through this and if by chance, Father catches up to us, we can fight our way through that. Now, I know there isn't a lot of chances on that but hey, we can say we tried."

I felt weird for a minute. Usually Gideon was comforting me and having the roles switched was very different. It wasn't a feeling I was well aquainted to but that didn't stop me from puffing my chest out slightly with the confidence. I wasn't completely useless after all. I liked that.

A smile creeped onto his face as he chuckled, "I'm glad you can read a map. I'd be doomed without you. Honestly, when I was reading that map turned upside down, I had no idea. It all looks the same to me."

"Well I can't be a bump on a log for everything!" I laughed. He echoed my words under his breath, a little grin taking over his lips.

He stood and turned to start packing his things back up. I huffed slightly, still exhausted from the previous weeks of traveling. A click sounded in my hip as I got to my feet, throwing a tingling sensation through my whole mid-section. My legs, stiff from sitting on them, buckled under my weight. I caught myself before I hit the ground but grumbled even more.

Gideon chuckled, apparently amused, "You never change. Every morning, without fail, I start gettting ready to go, your hip goes pop and you grumble, grumble, grumble. Then in the evening, when I say it's time to stop, you grumble, grumble, grumble again!"

For effect, I grumbled in reply, hiding the grin on my face. I went back to packing up, thoroughly disappointed that he didn't comment. I never thought I would rather his smart remarks over his silence. Usually I prayed throughout the day for his mouth to be magically sewn shut. I've even been tempted to do it myself but somehow I managed not to.

Our surrounding seemed particularily quiet; the echo of the horses' hooves hitting the ground was the only thing filling the air. No birds fluttered in the breeze or sang their song of welcome. Ground squirrels burrowed their way underneath the rocky terrain, hiding from the cold weather that surely interrupted their food storing process. It was a stressful burden tasked to every living animal with young ones. It was a matter of life or death, strength or weakness, greed or generosity. A good parent, such as a squirrel, care for their young until they are ready to face the world. Take a rat now and they will take the life of their young without a second glance.

I couldn't help but sigh, feeling more alike to the rat than the squirrel. No trust between me and the one that should have been there for me. Who should have protected me from harm rather then be the cause of it. The soft tissue beneath my fingers was the only way I knew that I was touching the stretching scar on my neck. The wound had gone deep enough to cause no feeling in it.

I could never express my gratitude to the boys for being there that day. Something in my father had snapped and without any cause, he attacked me while I was doing chores. I managed to outrun him but somehow he had trapped me inside the barn. He swung without coordination, a devilish glint in his eyes as he did so. I remember begging him to stop, barely being able to choke out the words when I felt the cool boards of the barn at my back. It was then that his blade had found its' mark, barely missing main arteries. A shiver traveled up my spine as if I was there, feeling the weight of being a helpless child once again. I was barely eleven when this happened.

It was pure chance that Gideon and John made it back from buying supplies in town just then. I could almost feel the roughness of the hay I laid on then. Gideon walked in with a smile on his face but his demeanor changed from a boy having fun to a man, full of need to protect me. John walked in a second later, his reaction similar to Gideon's. They both ran to my aid. John's tone was dangerous and angry but I couldn't make out his words as I laid there, losing blood fast. Strong hands gently wrapped something around my throat before equally strong arms picked me up off the rough surface. I faintly remembered the light of outside before everything went dark.

They barely managed to keep me alive. I was weak from loss of blood and at the time, I didn't believe I would make it. Once the initial fear of death passed, I had come to terms with what death would bring me and almost wished for it. It was an escape from fear, pain, suffering and grief. My brother on the other hand, told me firmly many times over that he wouldn't forgive me if I left him. He said it was the coward's way out. I wouldn't die with honour if I let go. So I held on while he watched over me, day and night, changing the bandage around my neck at least twice a day. John refused to leave my side, even to take care of the farm. I could hear him arguing that point with our father many times.

Celine came at one point to stitch the wound up when it was safe from internal infection. Gideon visited every chance he could, giving John a chance to sleep before having to guard me from my father. Over the course of a week, I regained my strength enough to sit up in bed and slowly take care of my own personal needs. I realized now that it took me the most part of the day to do so but at the time, it seemed like such a great achievement. It took me more then a month before slowly, I could do household chores.

Sunshine enveloped me, spreading warmth through my cheeks. I closed my eyes, trusting Akela not to do anything regrettable as I relaxed in the saddle. I remembered how that incident brought me much closer to Celine, made me trust her as I would my own mother. As she cared for me throughout the month, I felt suspicion for her motives even for being as young as I was. I eventually came around to her and over time, she was the first person I would go to if I needed advice.

Where there is evil, there is always good. Without my father, I would never have found the goodness in her soul. One thing I learned throughout my short nineteen years was to find the upside to every down. It was the only way I could keep living. I couldn't pity myself or I would bring myself to a worse situation.

My father hated that about me. When my brother wasn't around, he would sing songs of causing me harm or of how he would break me before he was through with me. It was the same deep, dark melody that he'd hum throughout the day if John was present. A hushed secret between us that breathed down my neck, warning me of the day I wouldn't be protected anymore. Such a day had come.

What the bright side of this was, I didn't know yet. Nevertheless, I would find one just to spite him in the only way I could think of. I wouldn't let him believe he broke me. Yes, I was running but when I succeeded he would realize that he failed in his promise. He failed me in every other way so why should he stop now?

Father once warned me that John wouldn't always be there for me. That he would move on from me as a burden and live his life the way he should. I never thought I would prefer that over reality. My brother was taken from me under circumstances I didn't even understand. He went for a normal trip to get supplies from the trade market. Neither of us ever expected the coldness in store for us as the day slowly progressed. It awaited us patiently, waiting for the right moment to spring its' devastating surprise on us.

I sniffled quietly, wondering why he was taken from me. What was there for me to learn? I was already well aquainted with pain, grief and suffering but I didn't know what else there was for me to understand. My heart physically ached thinking about him. What had befallen him that day? More importantly, who could have done such a thing to him? Stabbing one in the back was low enough but to do it to John was out of this world.

Whoever it was would pay one day. Whether it was King Hoc himself that ordered it, he wouldn't get away with it.

I promise you, brother, I will avenge you someday.

A gust of wind blew and softly caressed my face as if it acknowledged my pledge. I smiled, feeling John's precence with me. He may have been taken from me physically but he was with me. I didn't understand how but I was thankful for the mercy.

"You look comfortable." An amused voice rang in my ears. My eyes peeked open, blotching from black to orange as they adjusted to the sunlight again.

"Well that's because I am." I said, content as I stretched my arms out.

"Don't look too soon but I'd take hold of Akela. We're coming up to another village." He said, a more serious tone lacing his words.

I looked ahead of us and saw the billowing smoke in the clear sky. It was still a little ways off but we'd make it there within a few miles. A sudden knot formed in my stomach at the thought of facing people. What if the men from the forest were from there? What if these people caught wind of us and were already on the lookout for anyone suspicious or out of place?

"Breathe before you can't." Gideon said firmly with an odd coldness. He could obviously see the panic I was feeling and I was glad he knew the signs. Ignoring his tone, I listened to him and took a few deep breaths, holding them for a few seconds before exhaling again. The panic eased enough to keep an attack at bay. (Happy Rose? :P)

Composing myself, I asked, "Will we stop to manage our supplies or push around it?"

"We should stop for supplies. I don't know when the next town will be and we could very well run out before then. I'd rather be safe then sorry." He answered without a hint of emotion. Puzzled, I nodded my head slowly in reply, pondering his odd behaviour over the day. He hadn't bugged me once and every word he spoke was cold and emotionless. I didn't know what was wrong but something was very off with him. I had never seen him like this before, not once in all the years I knew him. I didn't ask him what was gong on and left him to stew over whatever it was he was stewing over.

The miles stretched on but as we neared the small village, the knot in my stomach tightened with every step Akela took. I tried to think of an excuse to stay away from it but none made enough sense to tell Gideon. I sighed, knowing I would have to face my fears like an adult whether I liked it or not. I couldn't run from them forever, no matter how much I would like to.

I caught sight of a villager on the side of the road, watching us with an intent gaze. I itched to pull myself further into the cowl of my cloak but if I did so, I would be asking to be noticed. I let my nerves show only by the way I held tightly onto the reigns and even then it couldn't be known to anyone but me. I kept them buried in my cloak as I waited for the dreaded hours to be over.

I glanced at Gideon. His cool demeanor was something I could learn from. He sat in his saddle, seemingly relaxed as he chewed on sprig of wheat. Even his eyes were relaxed as they rode into the village. He didn't tell me to stay on the edge of town as a precaution of danger like he did in previous villages either. My eyebrows furrowed, noticing his oddities increased as the day stretched on from morning to afternoon. Would he throw me to fend for myself next? That's what the day looked to be bringing.

I kept a watchful eye on the streets we passed, ignoring the curious attention from the townsfolk. At last, I saw what I was looking for. Without giving Gideon a warning, I cut in front of him and rode for the local blacksmith I had spotted on the left side of us. He shot a glare my way but I paid no attention to it, thoroughly annoyed with his bad mood. One thing I found worked with him was to give it right back. It was the only way he would realize how stressfully frustrating it was to be treated that way.

An older man stood at the forge, a loud echo coming with each strike as he pounded a piece of metal to the shape he wanted. His grey hair could be mistaken for its' original colour with the amount of grime it caught from the roaring fireplace. I smiled, remembering a time Gideon stood in his place, a big grin on his face as he sprayed me all over with the disgusting soot from his hands.

The man turned to greet us when we stopped, "Hello, what can I do for you?"

"We're looking for supplies if you have any." Gideon said, pushing ahead of me to speak. This irked me slightly. I knew it wasn't because he was trying to put himself first in case something went wrong. No, this was a display of control and I didn't like it.

"We have some. Depends on what you have in your pocket whether you get it or not." The blacksmith said, his demeanor changing from polite greetings to cold business.

"Just show your wares." Gideon demanded, showing as much coldness as he was presented with. He dismounted and before following the blacksmith further into the building, he gave me the reigns to his horse. I bristled slightly at the fact that I would have to stay out while he conducted business. I wanted to learn the ways of living but he would never give me the chance. That was one thing he carried even from our childhood. I was never allowed to follow the boys to the market, despite the well knowndanger of staying home.

No matter what I was thinking I stayed where I was, waiting for him to come out so we could resume our journey. I fidgeted in the saddle. My mind was reeling, thinking of every situation that could go wrong. They were endless really.

The minutes stretched on as I waited for Gideon. I hoped he could get us a good deal. We couldn't afford full price of anything but his bartering skills were pretty impressive at times. Which was something that I wanted to learn but it seemed I wasn't going to be taught anytime soon. Much to my own dismay.

I didn't know if it was just because I was waiting but it seemed to be taking forever. It must have been a good half an hour before Gideon came back out alone. A look of urgency had settled over his face as he struggled with the amount of supplies in his arms. Something was very wrong.

"What happened?" I asked with a sharp demand.

"Nothing happened!" He snapped as he threw the pack of supplies on the back of his horse.

"Bullshit!" I exclaimed. I dismounted Akela quickly before I thought about what I was doing and ran to the entrance of the small building. A different smell mingled with the familiar stench of a blacksmith's shop and hit my senses like a brick wall. I covered my nose, not able to take the mixture of the two. I stepped over a spilled container of bolts and tools, taking my attention off my surroundings for a moment.

I turned back around. My heart lurched into my throat at the sight before me. The blacksmith lay there, half hidden behind the fireplace with a pool of thick blood surrounding his chest. I choked back a cry, not wanting to alert anyone that could be in the loft above. I let my watering eyes look up to where a whole new man came to doorway. Gideon stood there, his chest heaving as he watched me with ire in his eyes. He took a step forward but I didn't want him near me. I jumped backwards away from him which caused a flash of hurt to run through his eyes.

"Elaya, it had to be done. He wouldn't let up his price and we don't have the money to pay for it. We do need to get out of here." He said softly. It was a funny sound coming from a cold blooded killer.

"You killed him!" I exclaimed with a sob as realization settled in my mind. He took another step towards me and instead of running from him like I wanted, my body froze and I stayed where I was. He took my arm gently and I walked with him. I looked at the body, swimming in his own blood and closed my eyes tightly. My mind numbed as I walked in the arms of a murderer. Gideon was a murderer.

"I had to." He said without a hint of remorse. The coldness echoed through my mind as he helped me mount Akela. I took hold of the reigns and waited for him to lead the way. I knew that now was not the time to fight him, to understand why. My gentle Gideon would never even consider doing such a thing. Times were tough, yes, but he would have worked through it.

Akela jolted forward as he followed Gideon. A tear escaped and ran down my cheek, leaving a salty trail behind. My heart physically felt pain as it twisted in my chest. My father was right. He would cause me heartache through my life; destroy everything I held dear. I let this happen to Gideon. I chose to run and let him follow me. If it wasn't for me, he would still be at home, innocently working at the forge. He wouldn't be taking the life of a man he was one with. He wouldn't be forced to think such measures were necessary.

We made our way back out of the small town. I kept my eyes down and hid deeper in the cowl of my hood, not wanting any attention. I couldn't bear the townsfolk watching me as my heart settled in guilt. The pit in my stomach growing steadily bigger with every step we took away from the awful truth behind.

Gideon was no longer my innocent travel companion from home. He was a man from the world. A man I didn't know if I trusted.