Carmine

The orange shade expanded over the arid ground. I looked around in vain. My bones clattered with each step I took. Wearing my cloak, worry escaped my skin and rattled its surface. Carrying all my past life on my right shoulder, it was not much.

Hion was an idiot. He probably knew I was as good as dead.

He already knew this was nothing more than a performance. I looked back at Garth. His face lit up with a smile. He motioned with his fingers to move forward.

I sighed, for Garth was a fool for Hion's village play and I was the prop.

We were as easily discarded as the dust. With every step, it shifted on this uneven land. I froze. My exhaled breaths slowed as Garth came to my side.

Over the ridge and the top of the trees, the shadows were deep, so I saw no further than the grassy bed.

“Alright, come on. Once we are on the ground level, we will walk through here and get to the horses. From there we will reach Septilon.”

I almost forgot how high we traveled back then. The keep was on a pretty high hill. I used to be allowed once per week on the roof.

The high forest trees that surrounded it created this illusion of closeness to the earth.

Garth failed at navigating the horses up that steep hill. I looked back and shuddered at the thought of climbing that hill to get back.

This reminded me of one thing. “What will happen to those guys? Why can they not come with us?” I asked.

Garth went down first cautiously moving down the rock face. He stopped and looked up. “Hion did not give me any orders concerning them, but don’t worry they will get new assignments soon. Things are just chaotic in the capital now.”

I stared at him. He let go and dropped on something solid.

Looking up, he motioned up at me to come down.

I widened my eyes at him then I looked beyond him. The height seemed so near, but I knew it was far. If I dropped off this rock, I would have died.

“Come on, you will be fine,” he said. He moved to the side and showed me the ledge that I could place my feet on.

There is no way in hell I was doing this.

“Come my Pri—Carmine, we have to go before night falls.”

A groan left my choked throat as home called for me. Asleep, I wanted to be asleep. I wanted to pretend all the horrid things that happened were not real.

A frigid breath flowed off my dried lips. The chill of the coming night’s dread was so tender to the touch.

“Carmine,” he said. I fidgeted a bit. “Look at me. I am right here you will not fall.” I stared into his eyes. They looked confident enough.

Why did things have to go like this? The sun was barely touching the top of the trees. It won’t be long before night comes. Going through a forest in the dead of night, I had to ask.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we make camp on the hill and wait until morning?”

Garth tilted his head.

“Right, you would freeze to death. This is not the middle of the world, we very much are far north. We need to find cover. We will find it better in this forest. Give me your feet. Come on I got you.”

I groaned.

Feet first, I found Garth’s palm. Before I could protest I felt my body slipping back. Stones shifted as my feet planted onto something. My hands grasped the rocky wall behind me, but I slid further down and bruised my palms. His hands gripped my ankles and steadied me.

“Don’t be scared keep moving down.”

That was easy for him to say, but I took my time and made my way down. The side was rife with peaks, random curves, and spikes to grab onto.

Prickly to the touch, my fingers throbbed to the points in the rock. Even so, I took my time. One mistake was enough. All my life is rife with mistakes in that respect.

Shaking the negativity out of my head, I focused on the dripping sweat as I descended. Land, I finally felt it.

Garth waved his hand downward.

“See that was not so hard,” he said.

“We have a lot more to go,” I retorted, looking down from the corner of my eye.

He laughed.

“Easy pickings, the rest of this ledge leads down a good share of the wall. Grab a hold of the wall, follow me.”

We made our way through his guide. Soon enough, we reached the forest floor. There was a mass surrounding of darkened shades and shapes. The path was suffocated in shadows. I could only make out so much.

“Stay close,” he said, as he passed me. We advanced through this accursed forest earnestly in search of safety. I knew not what that looked like honestly.

My eyes wavered and I shivered when the arms of darkness moved ever closer. There was a sparkling glimmer of light now and then, so it was a tidy distraction from the encroaching doom.

The snapping branches, the noisy rustling leaves; the night grew closer and closer. The familiar smell of peppermint complimented the dull sound of forlorn bird cries.

Like looking at mangled remains, I could not see my friends. Actually, I didn't see Garth.

“Garth?”

A black shape shuffled. I slowed. He turned, his grin greeting me. Ah, this was what 'eyes adjusting' meant. I came closer as he grabbed my hand and drew me forward. Navigating through the thick overgrowth, I couldn't stop the shaking and shock of anxiety running up my legs with each tickle of the leaves and branches.

The peaceful serenity was scattered into bits and pieces. All the while, the warmth of his hand gathered fleetingly what courage I had left within my bones. I was determined to live. That was what I sought right now.

Light rose and deflected off the bright leaves leaving a delightful luster. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds. I saw better now as my eyes strained. Garth twirled his head from side to side.

He released my hand, yet I almost stepped forward. His hand motioned for me to stop. He frowned and then looked sternly out. His body became wrapped up in the darkness. The darkness covered everything when I looked up.

Obscured by clouds, I breathed out my exasperation. Where did he go? His shape, I could not make it out. A snap alerted me to something close. I drew my body in instinctively.

“Garth?”

A shadow moved just in front of me. I looked up, way up.

When d-d-did Garth get so tall?

I shivered, while the light of the moon dawned. My shoulders fell as my eyes beheld a pale face. The armor over his body never fit, yet it was a testament to his large frame. Bulging forward like an outer wall, overpowering and unnerving to the ordinary folk that looked up, namely me.

Bravery, I lost it instantly at the feet of his majestic size. A Terison was in front of me, but here? No, more than that, where was Garth?

“Ah….” I tried to muster the words as if dragging the life out of me. His blue eyes narrowed at me as he smirked. His body shook with laughter.

He said, “Princess Carmine, I am glad I found you!”