Fires were built, and sleeping tents were erected, the tall grass flattened to make room for everyone. Some people sat down to eat.
About half of the group accepted mats from the soldiers and went right to sleep. They were all exhausted. Aria was too, but she knew Grace would most likely want to speak with her privately, so she stayed awake.
The other half of the group sat by one of the fires built and filled their stomachs slowly. No one wanted to get sick. And after a while, they were all pleasantly full and drowsy.
Aria looked around. For the first time in what felt like forever, her friends had some peace. They weren’t running scared or worried for their lives. Though she couldn’t help but wonder how long this would last. She wasn't sure that it would. From everything they’d heard about the place they were going, they should be scared. But something told Aria that all was not as it seemed. If these people were supposed to be horrible and terrifying, they were doing a great job hiding it.
Eventually, she was summoned to Grace’s tent. Who was this young girl that seemed to hold a position of great authority among her people? Then again, the same question could be asked about Aria.
Grace’s tent wasn’t much bigger than any of the others. It was warm and cozy, with a small cot for sleeping and furs lining the floor. There was also a small writing desk. Grace was perched on a chair in front of it, reading some documents by the faint glow of a lantern.
Grace glanced up, giving her a blank stare. "Have a seat, Aria," she said.
Aria looked around. There wasn't anywhere to sit, besides the floor or the bed. Since she was filthier than she'd ever been in her life, she chose the floor.
"Tell me about you, your people, your friends," Grace said.
"What do you want to know," she asked.
"Why you came, what has happened since you've gotten here," she said. She wasn't looking at Aria; she seemed preoccupied with the piece of paper she held in her hand.
"That could take a while," Aria asked.
Grace glared at her as if she was surprised by Aria speaking so boldly. "I haven’t heard much of anything. I was sent to collect you by the leader of my people. He heard the story of some people emerging from the ground, people who were supposed to be oh so dangerous, and he agreed to take you. Seems like quite a waste now that you’re here."
Aria wanted to snap back at her, but she knew it wasn’t a good idea.
“I want to hear your story from you. I don’t like secondhand information.”
So she told Grace their story. About their life under the ground, about coming to the surface and not knowing it was habitable, and what happened with the Terra. She knew it was best not to lie, so she didn't omit the part about them plotting a potential escape when they were first captured. She didn't omit the part about some of her people wanting to flee now, either.
Grace studied the paper in her hand the entire time.
After she was finished, Aria waited for Grace to say something. But she didn't.
"Are-are you, the leader of your people," Aria asked. She knew it was a risk. Even though Grace looked younger, she was lean and muscular. She could probably kill her right here right now.
"No, I'm not. I'm something like the king's second in command. Mostly I deal with outside affairs and our army," she said, her tone serious.
"What-what will you do with us," Aria asked. She knew she shouldn't. It wasn't like she expected Grace to actually tell her they would be killed or made into servants or something of that nature.
"That's not up to me, Aria," Grace said, looking at her.
"But you must have an idea," Aria pushed.
"I do," Grace said.
Aria waited, afraid to push any further. She didn't get an answer.
"Go to your people, Aria. Sleep. Eat. You look sick. How did you let your people get to such a state," Grace asked.
Aria was angry. She knew she looked like shit. She knew they all looked like they were on the brink of death. But Grace's comment about her and her leadership fueled a fire in her.
"Well, if you'd been through what we've been through since we got here, you might understand why we look like this," she said.
Grace raised an eyebrow, probably a little shocked at Aria's tone.
"You're dismissed, Aria," Grace said.
Aria got up to leave. Her hand was on the doorknob when Grace spoke up again.
"And Aria? Watch your tone. I may be a little forgiving since this is our first conversation...but not everyone will be as considerate as I am. Keep that in mind."
Chapter 3
Aria didn't say anything. She paused long enough to consider Grace's warning before leaving the tent. She walked back to her people, and Aria made her way to a spot on the unoccupied ground.
She was more tired than she'd ever been in her entire life. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. But just before she went under, she noticed a few guards standing around the edge of the group. It was clear that they wouldn't be left alone for the night. She wasn't sure if that should make her feel more secure or more afraid.
Aria woke the next morning to the sound of her friends talking. She sat up and looked around. For a second, she was confused. And then she remembered where she was and how she'd gotten there.
She joined her friends around the fire. They had water, bread, and fish. Aria ate fast enough to give herself a stomachache. And by the looks of the people around her, so did they.
They sat around and talked in hushed tones. Ben brought up, trying to escape again. This time, he suggested they waited until they reached a more covered area to overthrow the group who was escorting them.
"We’d have no chance. And what about after that? Besides, we have no idea who or what's going to be waiting once we actually get there," Mara said.
"Well, we can't just do nothing," Ben yelled.
"Ben, lower your voice," Aria warned. "Mara is right. There isn't anything we can do. So far, they aren't trying to kill us. So shut the hell up and act normal," she said, growing tired of his stupid ideas.
"Aria, you can't be serious. We can't trust these people," he said.
"I never said that. I don't trust these people. But unless you want to be the first one killed and buried out here, I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself," she said. It wasn’t that Aria hadn’t considered trying to escape. She was terrified of where they were heading, who these people really were. But really, what chance did they stand out here in the open?
“Let’s just get to where we’re going first, OK? And then we’ll know better what chance we might have.”
The group around them nodded in agreement.
The day went on much the same as the first. Riding for hours with short breaks for food and water. They stopped for the night in a spot that looked almost identical to the one the night before. And an endless sea of tall grass and a clear sky ahead. Aria enjoyed being in the open air, underneath the stars. Something she’d never been able to do before.
It was almost enough to make her forget the situation she was in. Make her forget that she no longer had a home, because what chance did she have of ever seeing her people again? It didn’t even matter that she was above ground, not really. Because the situation allowed for no moment to marvel in it, to appreciate everything new to her. She simply had to exist from one moment to the next. Just trying to stay alive.
On the third day of travel, Grace joined them at their fire during one of the breaks. Everyone remained quiet as Aria stood to greet her.
"Are your people rested," she asked.
Aria nodded.
"Good," Grace said, turning to face the group. "Listen up! We should be arriving sometime tonight.”
That night during their break for dinner, Aria couldn't eat. She was too worried about their arrival and what waited for them. So far, these people were the exact opposite of what she had expected of what she had been told. But that didn't mean the others would be, too.
By the looks of everyone around
her, they were thinking the same thing she was.
To her surprise, Grace sent for her before they began traveling again. She made her way over to her. Aria could see mountains up ahead; they were close now.
She was a little taken aback; the sun was setting. She couldn't remember the last time something had taken her breath away.
Grace was standing at the edge of the camp. Aria silently joined her.
"Are your people feeling better, stronger?” Grace asked.
"Yes, they are. Thank you," Aria said. And she really was thankful. She was surprised that Grace cared enough to ask. Well, maybe, she didn't. Perhaps she was just making conversation. Either way, Aria was pleasantly surprised.
"Can you guarantee that your people will listen to you?" Grace asked.
"What?"
"Can you guarantee they won't go behind your back and do something stupid?" Grace asked, cocking an eyebrow.
She was beautiful in a fierce way. She had long brown hair, perfectly arched eyebrows, and sharp cheekbones.
Looking at her made Aria feel a little ugly. She had cleaned her face as best she could. But her clothes were a mess, and her hair was so dirty it looked almost gray from the grime. She could only imagine how awful she smelled.
"Why?" Aria asked.
"I hear things. Answer the question," Grace said.
"I-I don't know. But I think so. We-we're not bad people. What we've done, we've done to survive," she said.
"I believe that, Aria. I do. But we will not tolerate any disobedience. If someone here steps out of line, they will be dealt with. Can you, as their leader, accept those consequences?"
Shit. She must have heard some of the things Ben was saying. That fucking idiot.
"I can," Aria answered. She wasn't sure she was being totally honest, but it seemed to be what Grace wanted to hear.
"Okay, then. Go to your people. Make sure they understand that, as well. We'll be riding out in the next few minutes, and we should be arriving in the next few hours."
Aria nodded and went back to her friends. As soon as she sat down, they asked her if everything was okay.
"Yeah, everything's fine. For now," she said, getting up and facing everyone. "Quiet down and listen up. We will be arriving soon. No matter what or who we face, do not, under any circumstance, do or say anything stupid. Keep your mouths shut. Do not argue, do not talk back. Do as you are told. Whatever we face, we will face it together. But if anyone," she looked at Ben, “decides to act without our knowledge or consent, then that person will answer to whoever is waiting for us," she said.
After everyone nodded in understanding, she sat back down.
"Do you have something to say to me," Ben asked.
"Yeah, I told you to keep your mouth shut. We don't know what we're heading to, but so far, they've been decent to us. So don't screw that up by trying to form some sort of escape plan, okay? We aren't in any immediate danger," she said, keeping her eyes on him.
"Yet," he said.
Aria just looked at him.
She tried to eat, telling herself that she might need the strength once they arrived. But she felt the anticipation pooling in her stomach, tying it in knots.
After the sun had set, a guard told them it was time to join Grace towards the group's front. Aria waited until everyone else had gone ahead of her before she joined the line.
She could see the mountains, even closer now, up ahead. She figured they would be arriving at some sort of valley. But the sight before her wasn't what she'd expected.
For one thing, it was rocky. Very rocky. The cliffs up ahead looked dangerous, even in the dark. She didn't see any lights, any fires. She couldn't see anything other than the cliffs and a few mountains peeking up behind them.
The air was cold. A lot colder than it'd been before. Aria wrapped her arms around herself. So did the others. They weren’t exactly dressed for colder weather.
"I hope you're all rested enough," Grace yelled. "Because we've still got quite a ways to go."
A few people groaned. Aria did. Internally, anyways.
They followed Grace and a few of the guards that had followed them into the woods at the base of the mountain. At the edge, Aria turned to see some of the guards going the way they’d come. Where the hell were they going?
She made her way to the front of the group, Mara right beside her.
They rode for about three hours. The first part of the ride was excruciatingly slow—all uphill. A few people complained, but they were quickly hushed by the others. Once they reached the peak, Grace let them rest for a few minutes.
Again, Aria couldn't believe what she was seeing. And by the sounds of it, neither could the rest of her group.
Their position at the very top of a small mountain gave them a perfect view of the valley below.
Aria could finally see lights, tiny clusters here and there. It looked like they were heading to a decent-sized village.
But what really caught her eye was the building located on a little hill just above the small town. From what she could tell, in the darkness anyway, it looked like a palace. A palace fit for a great and terrible king.
The second part of their ride was significantly more manageable than the first part. Aria noticed that once they got close to the little village, they veered to the left as if they were going to go around it and not through.
She was right.
They went so far to the left that they couldn't even see the lights anymore, hidden by the surrounding forest.
The closer they got to the palace, the more nervous Aria and the others grew. Eventually, they were riding in complete silence. Not even the occasional whisper from her friends.
The palace looked even more massive, even scarier up close. Aria felt panic and terror rising in her chest. But she tried her best to keep it at bay. The lives of her people depended on her keeping her cool. If she let her panic show, then so would the others.
They came to a set of giant wooden doors with two guards flanking it.
"Hey boys," Grace said in greeting. "Glad to see the place hasn't burned down while I was gone," she said, smirking at them as they opened the doors.
Grace ushered them in and waited for all of them to enter before making her way to the front of the group again.
Everyone was looking around, including Aria.
They were in a brightly lit entryway, the air around them warm. The palace must have been made of stone, but the inside walls were light-colored wood paneling, giving the place a comfortable feel. The lanterns on each side of the wall, spaced about five feet apart, lit the space.
No one was speaking, so they had no trouble hearing Grace.
"Follow me. And stay quiet. Speak only if spoken to," she said, before turning and walking down the corridor.
Aria swallowed, hoping it'd push down the bile suddenly rising in her throat. No one spoke a word.
They reached another door. This one also had a guard on each side. Grace didn't even hesitate before opening the doors. She walked through them without a word.
Aria followed.
The first thing she noticed was the enormous chandelier-like object hanging from the center of the ceiling. It was burning bright with candles. How do they get those up there? She shook her head, thinking about what a stupid thing it was to concern herself with. They had much bigger worries.
She quickly glanced around as she continued on behind Grace.
The room was huge. Probably bigger than any room Aria had ever been in. A throne room, she thought. It was brightly lit, lanterns and candles everywhere, in the windowsills and on the tables. There were two long tables on each side, full of people.
People who had gone very, very quiet. People who were looking at her. At them.
She focused her attention back on Grace, who was now kneeling on one knee at the front of the room.
A few steps were leading to an elevated portion of the room. And on that elevated portion stood a long table. A young man sat in a large
wooden chair behind it, all by himself.
Before she could think twice, Aria mirrored Grace. She bent down on one knee and lowered her head. She heard the group behind her follow suit.
Chapter 4
"Your Grace," they all heard Grace say, "Your wonderful sister has returned."
Aria could almost hear the smile in her voice.
"I see that," the young man at the front of the room said. His voice was deep and gravely. Aria found it a little scary, if she was honest.
"And why is it that my sister returns days later than expected," he asked. Aria could hear him getting up, his chair scraping the floor.
"Unforeseen complications, Your Grace," Grace said. Aria was sure that she was smiling now. She could hear him coming down the steps towards them.
She decided to look up.
He walked towards Grace. When he was standing in front of her, he reached down and offered her his hand. She grasped it, and he pulled her up. And to Aria's surprise, he hugged her. Grace wrapped her hands around his neck while he placed one hand on her back and the other on her head. He kissed her cheek before letting her go.
"Are you okay? Did everything go smoothly," he asked in a quiet voice.
"Yeah, it was fine," Grace said.
He nodded and finally looked past her to the group of people kneeling in the center of the room.
His eyes landed on Aria's first. She dropped hers to the ground a second later.
She heard him take a few steps towards her. He stopped right in front of her. She decided not to look up.
He stood there for a few moments before moving on, walking around the group in a circle. When he was in front of Aria again, he spoke up.
"What the hell is this," he asked.
Still, Aria didn't look up. She was pretty sure no one else did, either.
"I said the exact same thing," Grace said, joining the king at the front of the group.
"They’re a bunch of children," he said, with a little edge to his voice. "Look at them. Not a single one of them can be over the age of twenty. These are the people that the Terra just had to get rid of? As if they’re some great threat," he said.
Align Ourselves Page 2