by A. J. Medina
Next in were Davina and then Neala, after removing her full set of clothing. Clothing that she was obviously still getting used to. In the palace she was always dressed in a gown. A dress flowing down to her ankles, just like all the other palace maidens, Princess Evelyn and even Queen Rosaleen herself. Out here on our journey, she was dressed in pants, a tunic and boots that I could tell she found uncomfortable based on how she let out a sigh of pleasure every time she removed them.
I walked further into the hot pool of water and then sat down on the pool’s bottom. The water came up and over my shoulders leaving my neck and head exposed above the water line. Neala came close to me and handed me a bar of soap and a washcloth.
I took them. “Thank you.”
She nodded and dipped her own bar of soap into the water and lathered it up.
I did the same and stood up so that I could soap up my arms and then my chest and stomach.
I sat back down and dipped the soap into the water and rubbed my legs underwater and then moved on to washing my feet.
“Can I use the soap?” Davina asked.
“Aye,” I handed it to her, “here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Davina washed herself while I sat in the water moving my hands back and forth enjoying the feeling of being wet and warm under the open sky and air.
“Can I use that when you’re done?” Aednat asked Davina.
“It’s Alora’s. You need to ask her.”
“Come on. Just let me use it!” Aednat whined.
“Nay! You have to ask Alora.”
Aednat glared at Davina.
“Alora. Can I use the soap when Davina is finished?” Aednat asked.
I thought about it and decided. “Nay. But you can use Neala’s when she’s done. If she wants to let you.”
Davina chuckled and Aednat shoved her because of it.
“Here Aednat,” Neala offered. “I’m done.”
Aednat sloshed through the water to retrieve the soap from Neala, mumbling under her breath the whole way.
After everyone finished washing, we soaked in the hot water for a few more minutes and then I prepared for the impending cold that would hit my skin when I climbed out of the springs.
“Ready?” Neala asked me.
“Nay.”
“The sooner you get out, the sooner you’ll get dry and dressed.”
Neala stood and the water was up to her stomach. She dragged her legs forward through the water, sending it splashing around her and into my face.
The three of us watched Neala walk over to the boulder where she and I left our things. She snatched up a towel out of her small satchel and rapidly dried her body. When she was done, she wrapped her braid in the towel and folded it up onto her head.
Moving as fast as she could, she pulled her pants on and then threw on her shirt. Her cloak was next, leaving her boots for last. She took the towel off her head and dried and, at the same time, brushed off any dirt that had stuck to her feet.
“Is it cold?” Aednat asked.
“Aye!” Neala answered.
Aednat said to Davina, “We should’ve brought towels.”
“I didn’t think of it. Did you?” Davina asked her.
“Nay.”
The both of them turned their eyes to me. Their heads were the only parts of their bodies visible. What they were thinking, I couldn’t know or guess.
It was now or never. I jumped to my feet and ran through the water as fast as I could, which wasn’t fast at all since the water resisted my leg movements. The lower the water got, the easier it was to lift my legs up and move faster.
When I emerged from the water, Neala was ready and waiting. Her arms were spread wide with a towel open for me to run into. I didn’t want her to serve me, but it sure was nice. The air made quick work of the water that beaded on my body. It felt cold, much colder than I had imagined. Goose bumps rose and covered every inch of my skin.
When I was close enough, Neala stepped forward and wrapped the towel around my body. She rubbed the towel up and down on my skin, both drying and warming me at the same time. I sat back onto the boulder and she dried my legs while I picked up my second skin ready to slide it on when she was done. Neala stepped back and I slid my legs into my second skin, and when my hands poked through the arm holes, said the magic words. Already, I felt so much warmer. I copied what Neala had done and slid on my cloak, leaving my boots for last. Neala wrapped the towel around my hair and patted it dry, before moving down to my feet.
“I can do that,” I told her.
“It’s fine. I’ve done it so many times before.”
I bent down and gripped her wrist. “I can do it.”
“I know you can, but I am not doing it because I am your servant. I am doing it because you are my friend, and I want to help you.”
“But I—”
“Please don’t refuse my kindness. If someone wants to do something for you, you should let them.”
“If you really want to, then fine.”
I lifted my foot and Neala dried and also brushed off any dirt that had clung to the bottom of my foot.
When she was done she said, “Keep your foot up until I can slide your boot on.”
I did as I was told. Once my boot was on and tied, Neala did my other foot.
“Thank you, Neala.”
“It was my pleasure, Alora.”
“Now what are we going to do about those two?” I asked.
Aednat and Davina were watching us, the two of them still submerged up to their necks.
Neala went into her satchel and retrieved two more towels. She held one in each hand and let them unfold and hang down.
“Whenever you’re ready!” she shouted at them.
Davina instantly stood and made for the towel. Aednat jumped up and was fast on her heels. Since Aednat was the tallest, she had moved to the deepest part and was exposed to the cold air more than any of us.
When they made it to Neala, they snatched the towels out of her hands and dried themselves as fast as they could.
“Thank you, Neala,” Davina said with shivering teeth.
“Aye, thanks,” Aednat said under her breath.
Neala glanced over her shoulder at me with a smirk across her lips.
Once everyone was dressed, we collected our things and prepared to head back to camp. That’s when I heard it. A rustling in the trees.
“Who’s there?” I yelled.
The girls stopped moving and waited in silence. When there was no response, I asked again.
“Who’s there!”
“Perhaps it’s just an animal,” Neala said, and then she asked with fear in her voice. “Is it the wolf?”
I wasn’t sure. Maybe it was an animal. Maybe it was the wolf. I held my hand out and filled it with fire.
“If someone’s there, show yourself. Otherwise I’ll send this fire your way.”
That did it. A voice came from behind the trees.
“Alora don’t. It’s me Thomas.”
“He was watching us!” Aednat yelled. “I’m going to kill him!”
Knowing what I knew of Aednat’s previous hesitation when it came to washing and getting undressed around others, I believed she would kill him.
She reached over her shoulder and pulled her sword. “Thomas! You’re dead!”
“Aednat! No!” I yelled.
But it was too late. Aednat bolted into the woods after him.
Davina gave chase and I started after them. “Neala, lets go.”
“I’m on your heels. Go!”
Aednat was at the front of our pack, swiftly dodging and avoiding trees as she tried to catch Thomas. She was definitely upset with what she imagined Thomas saw—her entire body with no clothing on whatsoever.
Davina was right behind her, her hand gripped a tree for a split second, allowing her to swing around it and avoid the next tree in front of her.
On our way to the hot springs I hadn’t noticed how dense the f
orest was. I gauged the distance to the next tree and glanced over my shoulder to make sure Neala was able to keep up. She was far behind us, but she was trying her best not to run into any of the trees. As long as I could see her, and she could see us, that was good enough for me.
From my position, as third in line, I couldn’t see Thomas. He must’ve created quite a lead for himself. I glanced over my shoulder once more and Neala was catching up. She was getting the hang of dodging the trees and was able to increase her speed, becoming more confident with her ability to not crash into them.
I was almost on top of Davina, and Neala would be able to focus on her to stay with the group when I passed. Up ahead there was a large gap between two trees that would allow me to over take her safely. I prepared to pass Davina and when she caught me in her peripherals, she turned and smiled.
I kicked my feet behind me extra hard and passed her. I dipped below a low hanging branch without slowing down and focused on Aednat. She was up ahead and by the looks of it, determined to catch her target. But I still couldn’t see Thomas.
I could see the edge of the trees that surrounded our camp coming up fast and when Aednat broke through it into our camp, she yelled at Thomas. “How dare you spy on us?”
“Shhh,” Thomas whispered.
“Don’t shush me, you... you boy.”
Aednat looked like she was ready to wage war on him. “What did you see?” she asked.
“Not much,” was his answer.
Aednat’s face turned beet red and she pulled her sword back ready to swing it.
I heard something moving in my tent. I waved my hand at them both and said in a low voice, “Shut it you two. Listen.”
Thomas immediately drew his sword. “I thought I heard something, but loud mouth over here wouldn’t shut it.”
Aednat punched Thomas on the shoulder.
I waved my hand at them again. “Shhh...”
The entrance of my tent parted and a black nose appeared. It was shiny from the moisture on its tip and it sniffed at the air and then retreated back into my tent. A loud howl came next and caused us to take a step back. When I did, I bumped into someone.
“What was that?” Neala asked while trying to steady me.
I hadn’t even realized her and Davina were standing behind us.
“A wolf,” Davina said.
“I’m going to kill it,” Thomas said taking a step forward and clutching his sword with both hands by the side of his head. His sword pointed down, ready to plunge into my tent.
“Nay!” I yelled. “Leave it be.”
Thomas paused and turned to me.
I nodded.
He nodded back and then took a step back into line.
“Kill it?” a voice asked from inside of my tent. “And what has the wolf ever done to you? Did it try to attack you?”
We didn’t know how to respond to the question, when another wolf burst through the bushes on the other side of the camp and ran towards us. Aednat raised her sword and the voice spoke again.
“There is no need to be afraid, young one.”
“I’m not afraid!” Aednat shouted at the tent.
The wolf stopped in front of the tent and waited, studying us. I guessed he was either waiting for a command or for us to do something stupid.
I placed my hand on Thomas’ shoulder. “No one makes a move without my command. Stand fast.”
“Aye!” my knightlys all said at once.
A hand parted the entrance to my tent and a woman emerged. Not just any woman, but the woman from the cottage last night. The one with the red eyes and black hair. But her eyes weren’t red at the moment—they were brown.
Chapter 15
The woman with the black hair was wearing only a white, tattered and stained sleep shirt that came to rest just above her knees. Her feet were bare — stained with dirt — as was her face, arms and legs.
Her hair was a tangled mess. I was sure Neala wished she could brush it out.
She stepped to the side of the wolf that was now focused on Thomas. She slid her hand down its back and the wolf lifted its head and released a howl.
The howl startled Thomas and he took a step back and lifted his sword up by his head again. He held it with both hands ready to plunge it downwards at the wolf if the wolf moved any closer.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“So, you must be their commander then?” the woman asked.
“Aye, I am. And who are you?”
Before the woman could answer, a rustling came from the woods behind her. Something was running towards our direction, and it was running fast.
“More wolves,” Davina said.
More wolves? Of course. The howl must’ve been a call for reinforcements.
“I am Alora. And these four are with me.”
The woman studied each of us. Her glance wavering from one to the other and then starting all over. She was sizing us up. Maybe wondering if her and her wolves could defeat us without much of a struggle. If that’s what she thought, then she was wrong.
I curled my lip and whispered out of the side of my mouth. “Did any of you take your potion this morning?”
No one nodded or said aye. One sword each. That’s all they had and Neala had nothing. The dagger I had given her, along with her sword, were inside our tent.
The sound of the other wolves grew closer until it stopped. Slowly one wolf emerged through the bushes at the edge of our camp. He crept towards the other wolf and the woman, watching, studying us. When he was in position at the woman’s side, another wolf stepped into view. This one went behind the woman and took position there.
“They’re getting ready to attack. We should attack first while we still out number them,” Aednat said.
The woman and the wolves didn’t like her suggestion. The wolves all turned to her and then snarled. The woman crouched ready to attack.
With Aednat’s words stirring them, another wolf emerged from the woods and stood back behind the woman.
Was this their attack formation?
“Wait!” I yelled. “No one is attacking anyone.” I raised my hands, showing them my palms. “We don’t want to fight. What do you want?”
The woman stood from her crouch. “This is my land and you are trespassing.”
“My apologies. The five of us are traveling and spent the night. We are sorry. We are leaving now if it pleases you.”
The woman gave us all the once over again. She whispered to herself and counted. “Two... four... five. There are five. Two... four... five. Stay alive.” The woman asked me, “Have you killed anything on my land?”
“Nay.”
“Nothing?” she asked, and then pointed to the cast iron skillet Neala had used earlier to cook our eggs.
“Nay. We brought those eggs with us.”
The woman looked at one of the wolves and it walked over to the skillet and sniffed it. When it was satisfied, it glanced back at the woman.
“Very well,” she said. My land ends when you pass the boulder that resembles a wolf head. Do not kill anything on my land or you will be punished.”
“Punished?” Aednat asked. “How dare—”
“Aednat, hush,” I commanded.
“But she’s acting like we’re—”
“Aednat!” Davina interrupted. “Hush.”
“Are these young ones under your control,” the woman asked.
“Aye. I am their commander.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Aye. They will do as they are told or... they will answer for it.”
“Punished?” the woman asked curiously.
I looked at my knightlys and Neala. Could I punish them if they disobeyed me? I would have no choice. If I didn’t do anything, then they wouldn’t follow my orders. But that’s not what I wanted. I wanted them to follow my orders out of honor. Out of loyalty. Not out of fear. But what was the right answer now? What did this woman want to hear? I guessed.
“Aye. Punished b
y the king.”
“Which king do you serve?” the woman with the black hair asked.
“King Remi of Ly’vera.”
“Ahh. King Remi.”
The wolves all growled.
She petted the two at her sides. “Now now. Rest easy,” she told them before turning her attention back to me. “And how is the queen?”
“She is well.”
The two wolves behind her turned and disappeared into the woods. One of the wolves at her side turned and followed.
The woman must’ve been cold, but she showed no signs of it. Her arms, legs and feet were exposed to the crisp morning air. The same air we had all felt a moment ago while drying off and getting dressed. Her body showed no sign of a chill. She didn’t shake and she didn’t have goose bumps. In fact, it appeared as if the temperature may have been too warm for her. As odd as it seemed, it wasn’t as odd as how the wolves all seemed to know what she was thinking.
“Where are you traveling to?” the woman asked.
I wondered if I should tell her. Who was this woman who lived in the forest with a pack of wolves? A woman who last night had red eyes and now had brown? She was a stranger and had no right to know our destination.
My answer was simple. “South.”
A smirk crossed her lips. “I see.” Her hand rested on the wolf’s head and she massaged the area between its ears. “Are you going to visit someone?”
“Aye.”
“And might I ask whom?”
“You might ask, but we don’t have to tell you,” Aednat said rudely.
The wolf snarled at her.
“You lack control of your people,” the woman said. “If I lacked that kind of control, my wolves would have eaten you all by now.”
I know it wasn’t possible, but I could swear the wolf smiled at her comment.
“We are just passing through. We will be on our way,” I said.
“Fine. Hurry through my land. No harm will come to you, unless you kill any creature under my protection.”
“Which creatures are under your protection,” Thomas asked from his statuesque pose.