Young Writers Society

It quickly became apparent that they weren’t going to get ahead of Eridan, at least not the first day. They never caught sight of the Sadorians, although they followed the path cleared by them through the snow. It was a four-day trek from Potter’s Creek to Atheron on a good day. Devlin wasn’t sure if the weather would hold up as well though. It was cold but sunny, and the wind, though present, was a mild breeze. One might deceive themselves into thinking that spring was nearly upon them, but in the Agressi Mountains winter clung on well into the year, and its attitude could change from sunny to stormy in a matter of hours.

The group traveled in relative silence. Gwyn attached herself to Carris for the entirety of the day, eyes downcast. For Malcolm’s part, he was always just behind the group, arms crossed. He never made a sound, although Devlin detected some animosity between he and Carris from the infrequent glances between the pair. It was a strange group that had survived. Of course, they were all young and agile, unlike many of the other townspeople, but Gwyn was nothing to write home about, and Malcolm just did not look like a healthy child. Carris alone stood out.

Sadoeian blood.

Devlin looked her over, back straight, gaze forward, the picture of composure despite the night and early morning’s chaos. Perhaps he had been a bit harsh with her.

That night, as they huddled around a meager fire that Devlin had produced from a fire-starting kit of flint and steel -one of the few things he had hung on to- he approached Carris who was sitting on a log and gazing into the fire. Gwyn was pressed against her side. Malcolm sat across the fire on his own log, despite Devlin’s advice of sticking as close together as possible for heat.

Carris stared on but spoke softly.

“Do you think they’ll see the fire?”

Devlin shook his head as he sat down. “I doubt it. They sounded sure that we were dead. And even if they do see it, they’re in as bad a situation as we are. There would be no point in coming back. They’ve got the lead.”

Carris seemed to be satisfied with the answer and busied herself wrapping an arm around Gwyn and rubbing her back. Gwyn inched closer and her head collapsed on Carri’s lap as she dozed off. Devlin felt a slight twinge in his throat. She had gone through so much. And she would likely go through more.

“Listen,” he started, rubbing his hands, more out of unsurity than because of the cold.

Carris met his gaze, eyes narrowed as if already prepared to give a rebuttal to anything he said.

He went silent for a moment and lowered his voice when he next spoke. “About what happened earlier today: I wanted to apologize.” He hesitated, not sure if Carris would shoot him down. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but said nothing. He tentatively went on.

“The way you composed yourself was remarkable. You handled the attack better than many soldiers might. Clearly you don’t like soldiers, for what reason I have no clue, and frankly, don’t care. But you have a gift.”

Carris cocked her head to the side at that. “What do you mean?”

“The way you avoided the dragon and Martius. Until the tree, of course.” he let a grin break his face and Carris immediately huffed and stared back at the fire.

Devlin put his hands out in apology. “I didn’t mean to mock. You could be a terriffic scout.”

Carris rolled her eyes. “Right,” she muttered.

Devlin wrinkled his forehead. “You don’t believe me?”

Carris shrugged. “Sure, whatever. What does it matter?”

“You can take care of yourself, and you can avoid people who need avoiding,” Devlin looked past the fire in the direction of Eridan’s plowed trail.

Carris let a laugh ring out through the still forest. “I get it. You want me to sneak past Eridan to get to Atheron first. I knew it. It couldn’t simply be a compliment. It’s always gotta be a command for Carris to follow.” She shook her head. “Always has been,” she added to herself.

Devlin stood, hands on his hips. “What is it with you? Who’s side are you on?”

“Excuse me?” Carris said in a harsh whisper.

“You make no sense, It’s like you’ve got this wish to see the war fall to pieces. You realize that if Eridan gets to King Ormen and he succeeds, that the Sadorains will come sweeping back into Astoria and this war will be over by the end of the year.”

Carris blinked. “I don’t make sense?” she mocked. laying Gwyn on her side and laying her head on the log so she could stand to meet Devlin, although his head was a good several inches higher. “You’re the foreigner here. Why are you so concerned with what happens in Velhurland?”

Devlin ran a hand through his hair. “Because those Sadorians couldn’t care less that I’m not an Astorian. They’ll kill me without a second thought, and frankly, they might kill you too. Or is that it? You have some connection with them? You some sort of spy?”

Carris jabbed a finger up at Devlin as her rose. “I don’t care about Sadoria, got it? And I don’t care about you. I care about me and my friends, and about getting off this forsaken mountain. I’m going to leave this country and forget this place ever existed.”

Devlin grit his teeth. “Fine. Someone has to get to Atheron before Eridan does. If you won’t go than I will. Good luck making it with those two,” he nodded to Malcolm and Gwyn, strapping his sword belt on. “I better get a head start on them.”

With that he stepped away. Carris turned her back, but he could see the anger welling up in her tense shoulders and rigid posture.

Devlin scoffed. “You know, I was actually going to give you a second chance. I thought maybe I judged you too harshly at first. Guess my instincts were right after all. You’re just like all the other cowards.”

Carris spun on her heels, face beet-red, and Devlin was sure that it wasn’t the fire’s reflection. “Oh, you think you know so much about me do you?”

“I know enough. You want change but you’re too afraid to face your problems head-on or take any responsibilty for yourself. Always got to have someone else do the work for you, and yet you despise the military that does that job.”

Carris growled. “You think I actually had a choice. You think I’m responsible for a pair of pathetic people, parents so-called, one of whom I never met? I was born into a hellhole and have worked to get out of it for the past two years.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “You’re just like every other soldier, calloused and cruel, here for your own glory as a soldier.”

“This isn’t about glory,” Devlin shot back. “Nothing I’ve done has been about glory. I have a far bigger plan than you could imagine, and it didn’t take my life being flipped upside down for me to act on it. Now, I’m going to give you one last chance to go ahead to Atheron.”

Carris began to respond but he held up a hand. “No more! Decide.”

Carris looked at the ground, wiping her nose and eyes with the back of her palm.

She took a look back at Gwyn, then looked back at Devlin.

“I’ll go. But I’m doing this for Gwyn’s sake, not yours.”

Devlin sighed. At this point he didn’t care what reason she went with, as long as she got to Atheron first.