Emma, pt. 15
Want to start at the beginning? - Emma, pt 1.
---
The storm that threatened all day never came. The bloated, grey clouds dropped little more than the annoying spray that followed them to the campsite.
The sparse trees vanished entirely and gave way to a grassy field. On the horizon Emma could see some huge red formation of rock, dark and shadowed on such a day.
Sil kicked at his horse, advancing quickly down the road. Emma only prodded Juiper some, enough to keep Sil in sight, but not so much that they caught up to him.
Rilen ran one hand through her damp hair, the other still wrapped around Emma’s waist, “I really don’t want to do this again.”
“It wasn’t so bad.” Emma turned her head slightly so her voice better carried to her friend, “Sil was almost polite, and we brought back dinner.”
“I still would have rathered a relaxing day in the wagon.”
“A boring day,” Emma said, kicking again at Juniper as Sil slipped further into the distance.
Though each day on the road had brought new sights, the journey had become a series of routines. At night everyone worked to pitched camp, only to tear it down each morning. After the roast on the first night, the food had been predictable - breads and cheeses and meat from something Sil hunted. Every night the same and every night Deem saying “It fills us up, doesn’t it? We can buy all the fancy meals we want when the job is over.”
Jori seemed to have told her best story on the first night, and no one knew any better. The only good night of entertainment had come when Zariah showed off his fire craft, but after a stray cyclone of flames licked out of the pit and two bed rolls caught fire, Deem had forbade him from doing it again.
The worst routine was the one she’d seemed to fall into with Lison. All day they would ride side by side, Lison telling stories about the cities he’d seen on the other side of the Clavehound Mountains. They would sit together at meals, he would brush against her, stroke the skin of her neck and arms with his fingertips and play with her hair. But when they were alone he would change. He was still sweet, still charming, but there was a distance between them, and every time Emma tried to close it he would back further away.
She suspected that Deem had ordered him to act like a gentlemen, but Rilen would not confirm that. She wanted to confront him about it, but had not yet found the right time or words.
Ahead of them Sil’s horse seemed to vanish in a few short steps, as though it was dropping down an incline.
“Where’d he -” Rilen started to ask.
Emma kicked at Juniper and hurried down the road. It sloped down steeply and she saw where Sil went.
The road dipped into a small valley, only to climb up a sharp hill just beyond. Sil had gone far enough that the crest of the grassy hill had obstructed him. Now he was off the road, settling in the middle of a wide expanse of grass, about to dismount his horse.
There was no tree cover like she’d grown used to in their campsites, only grass, dirt, and a small spring.
“It just goes on forever.” It seemed for a moment that Rilen was talking about the grass, which rose out of the valley into a long plane that stretched far out to the west, but when she said, “Are the leaves that color all year long?”
Emma turned in confusion. After staring for a long moment she realized that what she’d taken for a shapeless mass of red-brown rock was actually a series of rolling hills covered in dense trees. The red leaves made the forest look like a rippling red stain across the landscape.
“It must be the Red Iron Forest,” Emma said.
“It looks like there is no end to it.”
“Well there is, and Blue Coast is just beyond.” Emma pictured a flat map, a small image representing Blue Coast just past the red cluster of trees.
Juniper’s hooves made almost no sound against the wet, springy grass as they left the road. Emma pulled at the reins, stopping the horse halfway between the road and Sil.
She shifted in the saddle, not sure what to do next. After a day’s ride Lison would usually help her down from Juniper, holding her around the middle and lowering her to ground. Sil made no indication he was going to help her, and she was not inclined to call out to him. Behind her Rilen shifted from side to side, leaning over to look at the ground below them.
“I’ll slid off then help you down,” Emma said, getting ready to swing her leg over Juniper’s back.
“Umm, is that -” Rilen couldn’t finish before Emma lifted her leg and dropped her weight off the side of the horse.
She gripped to the saddle to slow her fall. Juniper twisted her neck at the unexpected action, but kept her frame steady. Emma came down harder than she’d intended, slamming into the ground off balance, and falling to the side, throwing her hands out to catch herself.
This close to Juniper’s feet, she realized how dangerous it would be if the animal decided to move. Emma could easily be trampled. She scooted away quickly, pushing herself up to standing when she was a safe distance from the horse.
“Are you alright?” Rilen asked, holding tightly to the saddle.
“Ok,” she brushed dirt of her pants and from the palms of her hands, “nothing’s broken.”
She walked to the horse and patted her on the neck, then reached up to Rilen.
Rilen looked over to Sil, then back down to Emma, “I think maybe Sil should help me down.”
“Don’t trust me to catch you?”
“I’d rather not be caught.”
Emma put her hands on her hips and feigned insult, “Alright.”
She turned to where Sil was working on the kinibs, “Hey, Sil, could you help Rilen down.”
He spun around, his brow creased in confusion. Realization passed across his face and he stood, resting his long, serrated knife on the ground.
Sitting uncomfortably on Juniper’s saddle, her damp hair hanging on either side of her face, Rilen looked miserable. Emma hadn’t noticed before just how much her friend was suffering. Rilen’s red eyes were weary, tired. The corners of her mouth pulled up in a weak smile each time she caught Emma’s eye, but otherwise her face was set in a heavy frown.
Sil stopped beside the horse, reaching up for Rilen. When both her feet were on the ground Rilen closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Sil walked away without a word, brushing against Emma as he passed.
Emma put her hand on Rilen’s arm and squeezed tightly.
“I won’t make drag you along next time, I swear.”
“You’re going to do this again?” Rilen glanced over to where Sil was picking up his knife and cutting the skin off a dark black kinib.
Emma shrugged, “It was a lot more fun than just riding along with the wagons all day.”
Rilen looked at her skeptically, “Fun? Hunting little rodents and getting soaking wet?” she lifted her damp hair dramatically.
“The weather isn’t that bad, and I loved learning how to use a new bow, not having to listen to the same three conversations about weather and bed bugs and what food everyone wants to eat when we get to Blue Coast. And you have to admit it’s better than listening to Parien and Deem bickering at each other all day.”
“Well I sort of like it, spending the day talking with friends, seeing the road. Not riding a horse.”
“Don’t misunderstand, I really love being out here, but I just want to try new things. I was thinking about asking Sil to show me his throwing daggers. He seemed pretty agreeable today and -” She stopped when she saw Rilen’s face change from skeptical to shocked.
“Sil? Come on Emma, he’s been completely creepy today.” Her voice was a harsh whisper. “That weird story about his family, and how he always just stares at you, his face just blank.”
“He wasn’t so bad,” Emma cast her eyes at the back of Sil’s head, his red hair standing up in places, leaving patches of white-pink scalp visible, “He’s certainly not very talkative, but I think I’d like to learn to throw knives, or how to track a deer through the woods.”
Rilen sighed heavily.
“I won’t drag you along again, don’t worry.”
“Oh Emma, it’s not that it’s,” Rilen tried to force a smile, but gave up, “I really did hate it out there, but I do want to be with you, the wagons are a little boring when you are riding ahead of us.”
“I don’t have to go out every day. I don’t even have to do it all on this trip. I will be traveling this road with you many times. Sil can teach me how to track a deer then.”
“That means Deem would have to assign Sil to whatever crew I end up overseeing.” Rilen said with an unpleasant look on her face.
“Well, he doesn’t seem like someone to cause trouble.” Emma said.
Rilen shivered and Emma noticed how dark it had become. The grey clouds turned deep black as the sun, which they hadn’t seen all day, worked its way closer to the horizon. Emma looked at the dark red trees that covered the hills, hardly able to see them as the light noticeably dimmed around them.
“We should set up our tent, and I need to get Juniper’s saddle off.”
“Give me the tent and I’ll get to work on it,” Rilen said.
Emma pulled their tent off of Juniper’s pack, handing it to Rilen, then she worked at the straps that held the saddle on the horse. She was quite proud of how she could take the huge saddle off on her own. Once the straps were unfastened she tugged at one side of it, letting it slip and drop into her arms.
Rilen flinched every time she saw Emma do it, but Emma only smiled and placed the saddle on the ground.
By the time the rest of the caravan arrived Sil had finished skinning all the kinibs, Juniper was brushed down and grazing happily, and Emma and Rilen were in their tent, taking refuge from the damp evening air.
Emma finished braiding Rilen’s hair into three long ropes that ran along her scalp and down her back. When Emma was done she reached for the flap.
“I’m going to stay here, maybe recover some.”
“Recover from what?” Emma asked playfully, “I’m the one whose arm is sore from that bow.”
“I just...” Rilen looked take back, “I’m just tired.”
“Oh Rilen, I was only playing. Of course you should rest. You are wonderful for spending today with me. I’ll bring you a bowl of stew when its ready.”
“Thank you, Emma.” Rilen smiled.
Outside a sharp, peppery smell floated through the air. Emma was surprised to find Zariah already standing over a fire pit and Sil helping someone prepare the stew.
It was so dark that the forest was completely lost in darkness, and Emma could see almost nothing beyond the circle of firelight.
“There was a better time than now to talk about it.” Parien’s agitated voice drew Emma’s attention.
Parien stood by a supply wagon, one hand gripping tightly to a beam while she gestured at Deem with the other. He was in his familiar stance, arms crossed, feet wide apart, standing five or six paces away from Parien. A cluster of people gathered just beyond them, watching the exchange.
“The time was back in Paldurain..”
“Paldurain? We both know that would -”
“Emma!” Lison called out from the gathered crowd, interrupting Parien, “We hear you put your new bow to good use today.”
He walked between Parien and Deem, both of whom looked irritated and impatient.
“Its not really my bow, I only borrowed it from Sil.” Her gaze moved from Deem’s scowl to Lison’s smile.
“Well we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we.”
He ran his hand along her shoulder and down her arm. It was a gesture he’d done many times before and she’d always found it sweet and exciting at the same time, but for some reason Sil’s words repeated in her mind, about how Lison dropped her onto her horse like she was a little child.
She looked up to his eyes, dancing with firelight, and forgot Sil’s words. She vowed to herself that tonight she would get Lison alone and sort out what he really felt for her.
Lison put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to the firelight. She heard people walking behind them, and Parien and Deem resumed their argument. She glanced back to see them still standing where they had been, as people walked around them.
While they waited for stew, Jori told two stories, each about great objects of power found by maidens and bestowed onto their lovers. Emma sighed and rolled her eyes when Jori used the same phrase to describe the ‘lasting and eternal love’ in both stories.
The stew was tangy and sweet. Emma only ate a little before she took a bowl to Rilen. The girls sat together and Emma told Rilen how lucky she was to miss the stories tonight while she sipped at her stew.
When all the stew was gone Emma still lingered, proposing that she redo the braids in Rilen’s hair to make them tighter.
“I think you’re stalling,” Rilen said, pulling her hair up to keep it out of Emma’s grasp, “don’t you have something to do tonight? Someone else you should be talking to?”
“Oh fine.”
Emma took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She thought about her presentation to the Assembly and about confronting her mother. If she should do all that, she could talk to one boy about their feelings, even if that boy had such pretty eyes and black hair she wanted to run her fingers through.
She stepped out of the tent and almost collided with someone’s chest. The man stepped backward, giving her space to recover her posture. She looked up to see Sil’s small eyes staring down at her with unusual intensity.
“You should,” he jerked his head backward as if to indicate something behind him, “should um, come with me.”
Emma stood, unsure what to say. She searched his expression for a second, trying to find some clue to what he intended.
“It’s important,” he insisted, “I should have, well, I didn’t know what to do. Maybe I should have told you sooner, today on the road or even before. Or maybe I shouldn’t be doing saying it at all. But it’s too late now.”
Emma felt like telling him it wasn’t too late, that he could keep whatever it was to himself, but he looked so strange, anxious and worried. He seemed a different person than the sullen man he’d been on the journey.
“I have to, um,” she grasped behind her for the tent flap, “Rilen and I were -”
“Please,” he took her arm gently in his hand, “I just have to tell you something, it won’t be long.”
He was visibly calming himself, taking controlled breaths and keeping his eyes steady with hers. He looked so sincere, so worried. Not worried that she wouldn’t follow him, she could tell that, but worried about something bigger, something he needed to share.
“Alright.” She nodded.
He let go of her arm and she followed him out of the circle of firelight and into the shadowed night.
The sparse trees vanished entirely and gave way to a grassy field. On the horizon Emma could see some huge red formation of rock, dark and shadowed on such a day.
Sil kicked at his horse, advancing quickly down the road. Emma only prodded Juiper some, enough to keep Sil in sight, but not so much that they caught up to him.
Rilen ran one hand through her damp hair, the other still wrapped around Emma’s waist, “I really don’t want to do this again.”
“It wasn’t so bad.” Emma turned her head slightly so her voice better carried to her friend, “Sil was almost polite, and we brought back dinner.”
“I still would have rathered a relaxing day in the wagon.”
“A boring day,” Emma said, kicking again at Juniper as Sil slipped further into the distance.
Though each day on the road had brought new sights, the journey had become a series of routines. At night everyone worked to pitched camp, only to tear it down each morning. After the roast on the first night, the food had been predictable - breads and cheeses and meat from something Sil hunted. Every night the same and every night Deem saying “It fills us up, doesn’t it? We can buy all the fancy meals we want when the job is over.”
Jori seemed to have told her best story on the first night, and no one knew any better. The only good night of entertainment had come when Zariah showed off his fire craft, but after a stray cyclone of flames licked out of the pit and two bed rolls caught fire, Deem had forbade him from doing it again.
The worst routine was the one she’d seemed to fall into with Lison. All day they would ride side by side, Lison telling stories about the cities he’d seen on the other side of the Clavehound Mountains. They would sit together at meals, he would brush against her, stroke the skin of her neck and arms with his fingertips and play with her hair. But when they were alone he would change. He was still sweet, still charming, but there was a distance between them, and every time Emma tried to close it he would back further away.
She suspected that Deem had ordered him to act like a gentlemen, but Rilen would not confirm that. She wanted to confront him about it, but had not yet found the right time or words.
Ahead of them Sil’s horse seemed to vanish in a few short steps, as though it was dropping down an incline.
“Where’d he -” Rilen started to ask.
Emma kicked at Juniper and hurried down the road. It sloped down steeply and she saw where Sil went.
The road dipped into a small valley, only to climb up a sharp hill just beyond. Sil had gone far enough that the crest of the grassy hill had obstructed him. Now he was off the road, settling in the middle of a wide expanse of grass, about to dismount his horse.
There was no tree cover like she’d grown used to in their campsites, only grass, dirt, and a small spring.
“It just goes on forever.” It seemed for a moment that Rilen was talking about the grass, which rose out of the valley into a long plane that stretched far out to the west, but when she said, “Are the leaves that color all year long?”
Emma turned in confusion. After staring for a long moment she realized that what she’d taken for a shapeless mass of red-brown rock was actually a series of rolling hills covered in dense trees. The red leaves made the forest look like a rippling red stain across the landscape.
“It must be the Red Iron Forest,” Emma said.
“It looks like there is no end to it.”
“Well there is, and Blue Coast is just beyond.” Emma pictured a flat map, a small image representing Blue Coast just past the red cluster of trees.
Juniper’s hooves made almost no sound against the wet, springy grass as they left the road. Emma pulled at the reins, stopping the horse halfway between the road and Sil.
She shifted in the saddle, not sure what to do next. After a day’s ride Lison would usually help her down from Juniper, holding her around the middle and lowering her to ground. Sil made no indication he was going to help her, and she was not inclined to call out to him. Behind her Rilen shifted from side to side, leaning over to look at the ground below them.
“I’ll slid off then help you down,” Emma said, getting ready to swing her leg over Juniper’s back.
“Umm, is that -” Rilen couldn’t finish before Emma lifted her leg and dropped her weight off the side of the horse.
She gripped to the saddle to slow her fall. Juniper twisted her neck at the unexpected action, but kept her frame steady. Emma came down harder than she’d intended, slamming into the ground off balance, and falling to the side, throwing her hands out to catch herself.
This close to Juniper’s feet, she realized how dangerous it would be if the animal decided to move. Emma could easily be trampled. She scooted away quickly, pushing herself up to standing when she was a safe distance from the horse.
“Are you alright?” Rilen asked, holding tightly to the saddle.
“Ok,” she brushed dirt of her pants and from the palms of her hands, “nothing’s broken.”
She walked to the horse and patted her on the neck, then reached up to Rilen.
Rilen looked over to Sil, then back down to Emma, “I think maybe Sil should help me down.”
“Don’t trust me to catch you?”
“I’d rather not be caught.”
Emma put her hands on her hips and feigned insult, “Alright.”
She turned to where Sil was working on the kinibs, “Hey, Sil, could you help Rilen down.”
He spun around, his brow creased in confusion. Realization passed across his face and he stood, resting his long, serrated knife on the ground.
Sitting uncomfortably on Juniper’s saddle, her damp hair hanging on either side of her face, Rilen looked miserable. Emma hadn’t noticed before just how much her friend was suffering. Rilen’s red eyes were weary, tired. The corners of her mouth pulled up in a weak smile each time she caught Emma’s eye, but otherwise her face was set in a heavy frown.
Sil stopped beside the horse, reaching up for Rilen. When both her feet were on the ground Rilen closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Sil walked away without a word, brushing against Emma as he passed.
Emma put her hand on Rilen’s arm and squeezed tightly.
“I won’t make drag you along next time, I swear.”
“You’re going to do this again?” Rilen glanced over to where Sil was picking up his knife and cutting the skin off a dark black kinib.
Emma shrugged, “It was a lot more fun than just riding along with the wagons all day.”
Rilen looked at her skeptically, “Fun? Hunting little rodents and getting soaking wet?” she lifted her damp hair dramatically.
“The weather isn’t that bad, and I loved learning how to use a new bow, not having to listen to the same three conversations about weather and bed bugs and what food everyone wants to eat when we get to Blue Coast. And you have to admit it’s better than listening to Parien and Deem bickering at each other all day.”
“Well I sort of like it, spending the day talking with friends, seeing the road. Not riding a horse.”
“Don’t misunderstand, I really love being out here, but I just want to try new things. I was thinking about asking Sil to show me his throwing daggers. He seemed pretty agreeable today and -” She stopped when she saw Rilen’s face change from skeptical to shocked.
“Sil? Come on Emma, he’s been completely creepy today.” Her voice was a harsh whisper. “That weird story about his family, and how he always just stares at you, his face just blank.”
“He wasn’t so bad,” Emma cast her eyes at the back of Sil’s head, his red hair standing up in places, leaving patches of white-pink scalp visible, “He’s certainly not very talkative, but I think I’d like to learn to throw knives, or how to track a deer through the woods.”
Rilen sighed heavily.
“I won’t drag you along again, don’t worry.”
“Oh Emma, it’s not that it’s,” Rilen tried to force a smile, but gave up, “I really did hate it out there, but I do want to be with you, the wagons are a little boring when you are riding ahead of us.”
“I don’t have to go out every day. I don’t even have to do it all on this trip. I will be traveling this road with you many times. Sil can teach me how to track a deer then.”
“That means Deem would have to assign Sil to whatever crew I end up overseeing.” Rilen said with an unpleasant look on her face.
“Well, he doesn’t seem like someone to cause trouble.” Emma said.
Rilen shivered and Emma noticed how dark it had become. The grey clouds turned deep black as the sun, which they hadn’t seen all day, worked its way closer to the horizon. Emma looked at the dark red trees that covered the hills, hardly able to see them as the light noticeably dimmed around them.
“We should set up our tent, and I need to get Juniper’s saddle off.”
“Give me the tent and I’ll get to work on it,” Rilen said.
Emma pulled their tent off of Juniper’s pack, handing it to Rilen, then she worked at the straps that held the saddle on the horse. She was quite proud of how she could take the huge saddle off on her own. Once the straps were unfastened she tugged at one side of it, letting it slip and drop into her arms.
Rilen flinched every time she saw Emma do it, but Emma only smiled and placed the saddle on the ground.
By the time the rest of the caravan arrived Sil had finished skinning all the kinibs, Juniper was brushed down and grazing happily, and Emma and Rilen were in their tent, taking refuge from the damp evening air.
Emma finished braiding Rilen’s hair into three long ropes that ran along her scalp and down her back. When Emma was done she reached for the flap.
“I’m going to stay here, maybe recover some.”
“Recover from what?” Emma asked playfully, “I’m the one whose arm is sore from that bow.”
“I just...” Rilen looked take back, “I’m just tired.”
“Oh Rilen, I was only playing. Of course you should rest. You are wonderful for spending today with me. I’ll bring you a bowl of stew when its ready.”
“Thank you, Emma.” Rilen smiled.
Outside a sharp, peppery smell floated through the air. Emma was surprised to find Zariah already standing over a fire pit and Sil helping someone prepare the stew.
It was so dark that the forest was completely lost in darkness, and Emma could see almost nothing beyond the circle of firelight.
“There was a better time than now to talk about it.” Parien’s agitated voice drew Emma’s attention.
Parien stood by a supply wagon, one hand gripping tightly to a beam while she gestured at Deem with the other. He was in his familiar stance, arms crossed, feet wide apart, standing five or six paces away from Parien. A cluster of people gathered just beyond them, watching the exchange.
“The time was back in Paldurain..”
“Paldurain? We both know that would -”
“Emma!” Lison called out from the gathered crowd, interrupting Parien, “We hear you put your new bow to good use today.”
He walked between Parien and Deem, both of whom looked irritated and impatient.
“Its not really my bow, I only borrowed it from Sil.” Her gaze moved from Deem’s scowl to Lison’s smile.
“Well we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we.”
He ran his hand along her shoulder and down her arm. It was a gesture he’d done many times before and she’d always found it sweet and exciting at the same time, but for some reason Sil’s words repeated in her mind, about how Lison dropped her onto her horse like she was a little child.
She looked up to his eyes, dancing with firelight, and forgot Sil’s words. She vowed to herself that tonight she would get Lison alone and sort out what he really felt for her.
Lison put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to the firelight. She heard people walking behind them, and Parien and Deem resumed their argument. She glanced back to see them still standing where they had been, as people walked around them.
While they waited for stew, Jori told two stories, each about great objects of power found by maidens and bestowed onto their lovers. Emma sighed and rolled her eyes when Jori used the same phrase to describe the ‘lasting and eternal love’ in both stories.
The stew was tangy and sweet. Emma only ate a little before she took a bowl to Rilen. The girls sat together and Emma told Rilen how lucky she was to miss the stories tonight while she sipped at her stew.
When all the stew was gone Emma still lingered, proposing that she redo the braids in Rilen’s hair to make them tighter.
“I think you’re stalling,” Rilen said, pulling her hair up to keep it out of Emma’s grasp, “don’t you have something to do tonight? Someone else you should be talking to?”
“Oh fine.”
Emma took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She thought about her presentation to the Assembly and about confronting her mother. If she should do all that, she could talk to one boy about their feelings, even if that boy had such pretty eyes and black hair she wanted to run her fingers through.
She stepped out of the tent and almost collided with someone’s chest. The man stepped backward, giving her space to recover her posture. She looked up to see Sil’s small eyes staring down at her with unusual intensity.
“You should,” he jerked his head backward as if to indicate something behind him, “should um, come with me.”
Emma stood, unsure what to say. She searched his expression for a second, trying to find some clue to what he intended.
“It’s important,” he insisted, “I should have, well, I didn’t know what to do. Maybe I should have told you sooner, today on the road or even before. Or maybe I shouldn’t be doing saying it at all. But it’s too late now.”
Emma felt like telling him it wasn’t too late, that he could keep whatever it was to himself, but he looked so strange, anxious and worried. He seemed a different person than the sullen man he’d been on the journey.
“I have to, um,” she grasped behind her for the tent flap, “Rilen and I were -”
“Please,” he took her arm gently in his hand, “I just have to tell you something, it won’t be long.”
He was visibly calming himself, taking controlled breaths and keeping his eyes steady with hers. He looked so sincere, so worried. Not worried that she wouldn’t follow him, she could tell that, but worried about something bigger, something he needed to share.
“Alright.” She nodded.
He let go of her arm and she followed him out of the circle of firelight and into the shadowed night.
Comments
Post a Comment