Christoff closed his one eye and allowed the music in his soul to guide his fingers. The oft-repaired bow danced over the scuffed body of the violin, creating beauty. Solo finished, other fiddles, drums, flute, and voices joined. All the remaining clans-folk who were in any way talented with an instrument played. Tonight was an homage to freedom and the heady promise of a wide-open future.
Several youths were coming of age and this impromptu festival was going to be special. The war that had lasted years and decimated the whole country was over. The treaty ink was dry and the rulers of this land were beholden to the clan - and appreciative. Earlier they had feasted and now they danced, Christoff smiled and played louder.
Bodies whirled from partner to partner. Festival dress. Bright colours and the finest fabrics clothed dancers, watchers and musicians alike. Time for joy. The moon shone equally on every person. Tears leaked from Christoff's ruined eye hiding behind a silver patch. He'd lost his sister, but Shirayuki had lost her mother.
The music played faster and Obi darted after Shirayuki as she danced wildly through the twisting participants. In the centre of the camp was a roaring bonfire; the dancers grooved close to the heat and then dashed away. Laughter, conversation and promises mingled in the air.
Mariette, the clan leader removed the lid from a special container. Silent, her eyes invited the revelers to dip their ceremonial horn cups into the brew and drink.
Shirayuki nudged Obi who stared, motionless. One after the other, the dancers moved to the offered refreshment. They took a share, drank and danced away. Obi shrugged and pointed to his empty belt loop.
Shirayuki patted her skirt and withdrew a dark-red cup made of horn, placing it square in Obi's hands. "Made from the ibex we hunted together. Christoff helped with the carving, but not much."
"I'll treasure this, Miss Yuki." Obi smiled, hurried after his charge and served himself the offered drink. It was cold and slipped down his throat, soon erupting into the warmth of potent alcohol. Obi coughed and sputtered.
"I'll treasure that." Shirayuki giggled, downed her own drink and helped Obi tie his new drinking vessel to his belt loop. "This is where the dance gets even more exciting!" She grabbed his hands and smiled without any bashfulness. "Follow my lead."
The music Obi realized, had never stopped. It had quieted while they drank - but now it returned to full volume and vibrancy.
Shirayuki took handfuls of her skirt and shook it playfully. The glow from the fire made her hair a bolder shade of red, a living river of blood. Her forest green blouse with tiny red flowers complemented her black skirt. She'd never looked so wild and beautiful to Obi.
They danced to the far edge of the crowd, the moonlight brighter than the distant fire. Obi mirrored Shirayuki as best he could, his feet not as fleet as hers, but still making a good effort. He began clapping as Shirayuki spun in place, her skirt flying high and her hair swirling with the same freedom. Mouth dry and heart racing, Obi held out his hand.
A blush - not from the exertion of exercise - coloured Shirayuki's cheeks and she stopped dead in front of Obi. Her head tilted a bit to the side and her eyes glittered with mystery. Shirayuki took hold of Obi's hand in both of hers and held it against her heart. "Do you wish to follow?"
Ghostly mist rolled across the ground, obscuring the festivities from Obi and Shirayuki. A trio of church bells caroled. It ought to have sounded merry, a complement to the clan's party, but it held a warning. Something fearsome waited in the new-made gloom.
Shirayuki leaned against Obi and whispered, "The fog is early."
"What it is, is strange." Obi checked the perimeter for anything out of the ordinary. What sounded like a regiment of boots stomping, coming near - filled their ears. A sudden swoop of cold wind took hold of Obi's cloak as if it wanted to tug him away, to hide in the warren of small buildings. Never one to dismiss his instincts, Obi lifted Shirayuki into his arms and ran.
The clouds scudded across the cruel moon, light, and shadows bringing confusing images. Before, the noise of the boots had been almost a solid presence; and now, silence. Obi peeked around the corner of the building they hid behind. Only a dozen figures stood in a circle, not the regiment they'd sounded like. So odd though, no barked orders, curses, no jingling of coins in pockets, whispers or whistling?
The wind gusted, sending detritus skittering down the street. A large crumpled news page cartwheeled towards the soldiers. Obi knew full well how easy it was for patrols sent out with secret orders to remain incommunicado. Orders to stand down might lag behind for several weeks or even months. They had to be unaware of the recent peace treaty. About to muster his courage, to approach the men and share the news, he flinched and gasped.
The news page passed through the squad. Dammit; not all the dark mages had died with their master. If the mage were more powerful, they'd be able to quell all sound and substance at the same time. So, in this at least, was a small blessing.
Pulling back behind their shelter, Obi gazed at Shirayuki with terror-filled eyes. She opened her mouth to question him and Obi shook his head, laying his fingers over her lips. Guiding Shirayuki backward he pointed to the brick buildings in the distance. Obi gave Shirayuki a serious look. She could feel the alarm buzzing like a wild beast under Obi's calm façade.
Slow and careful they walked over the uneven cobblestones. The wind howled and subsided. Some garbage skittered by and other pieces connected with a wet slap that made their bowels clench. Safety was in sight, almost within reach. The heavy boots marching sent Obi and Shirayuki racing into the fog. If they could reach a building, they could hide.
Half rotten boards made a slipshod barricade that Shirayuki wriggled through. Obi needed to pull a board off before he could fit his taller frame inside. Shirayuki found a shelf to huddle beside. Anxious for Obi to rejoin her, she wrung her hands, afraid to talk.
He spun around but couldn't see Shirayuki until she waved her hand. A sigh of relief hissed from his lips and Obi sank to the ground beside his partner. For all the terrible terror of the last ten minutes, right now, he felt much lighter.
Shirayuki slipped her cold hands into Obi's and held tight. Obi nudged Shirayuki and relaxed further as she pressed her cheek against his. Her breath was sweet and alluring; desire flared to life deep in his gut. Obi suppressed his baser instincts and pulled away enough to quiet his hormones.
Silence. The wind had dropped and the fog must be smothering sounds. Obi strained his ears and studied the shadows on the floor of the derelict building. Long minutes passed making him realize the silence was too deep and complete. Obi shot to his feet and pulled Shirayuki with him as well. He whispered, "An exit?"
Shirayuki pointed to the thin slats covering the empty front windows. Glass was too valuable to leave behind in a failing shop.
A shout and both Obi and Shirayuki could hear the suddenly muttered concerns of the soldiers. Minutes ticked by as nothing changed - but the ominous feeling of pressure continued to build. Obi recognized the slow draw of steel from scabbards. Obi hurled himself through the flimsy window barricade - springing to his feet as fast as he could. Shirayuki followed him, the soldiers bursting inside the market shop too late to capture them.
Racing hand in hand, Obi and Shirayuki pelted down the narrow alley and whipped around the corner. Fright was a mighty fine inducement to find untapped speed. Somehow they'd run in exactly the right pattern to confuse and throw off their pursuers. The shouting faded away. Obi and Shirayuki found themselves very close to the clan's festival square.
Obi remembered the freely celebrating elders, drinking copious amounts of thought-fogging alcohol or imbibing other products known to slow reflexes. Dread rose to strangle what little breath he had left. He squeezed Shirayuki's hand and released it to cup his ears. No music. The violins were silent, no voices lifted to shout lurid lyrics, no happy chatter of any kind.
One tear slipped down Shirayuki's cheek, and then another as she closed her eyes and tried to will celebratory noise to life. Lips set in a firm line she lifted her chin and whispered an oft-recited prayer. "Brave warriors, should death find us, let it be swift. May our courage not falter to bring mercy and peace for all."
Echoing her, Obi added a heartfelt, 'please' instead of 'amen.' Shirayuki snapped open her eyes. "Goddess willing, we will find things as we left."
"Your Goddess has delivered before, I hope she can do it again." Obi hugged Shirayuki, holding tight as if this human contact would purge all their fears. "We have come so far through this foolish war. To die at this moment would be the height of stupidity."
"My Goddess is a divine healer." Shirayuki knuckled away her tears. "I only fight because I must. But I would promise to serve as her healer, bound a full decade if that meant we find lasting peace."
"It won't come to that."
"You cannot promise. Life is a rushing stream, different from one minute to the next, no matter how well one knows the lay of the river."
Obi sighed, content to stand close to the healer favoured by the Goddess - only, Shirayuki was more than a healer. She was hope and beauty; strong-willed yet able to bend to seek justice. Shirayuki was the home Obi had spent years searching for - all those years restless, no ties to anyone - no family. "I promise."
"Then follow." Shirayuki began a circuitous route, keeping one hopeful ear open for signs of the clan party. She prayed to not hear signs of pursuit. More fog swirled over and around the crumbled rocks that bounded what everyone had thought was safe territory. No noise - celebratory or from soldiers hunting prey. Obi snagged Shirayuki's hand. He pulled her back before she could take the final step and see, Goddess willing, the mute aftermath of overindulgence.
"Wait."
"For?" Shirayuki turned and blushed as Obi held her shoulders tight, bringing his face so very close to hers. He had no way of knowing how that made her stomach flutter - could he? She licked her lips and held her breath. War had taught her many unpleasant lessons - and she needed to stay strong, for herself and her clan. "Time is a precious gift. Right now we stand poised to learn if harm has befallen my clan…"
"I made a vow, did I not? My life is bound to yours."
"During battle." Resolute, Shirayuki kept her gaze level with Obi. "Goddess knows many have begged forgiveness after such declarations."
"She delivered and I always keep my promises, Goddess bound or not." Obi lifted his hands from Shirayuki then tapped his dagger. "I am your shield."
"So be it." Shirayuki took another step - halting as Obi took a handful of her vibrant red hair and softly tugged. She turned with a scowl and began to speak - words silenced by hot, hungry lips.
Obi poured years of want into his kiss, needing to show Shirayuki exactly what she meant to him. A kiss; made of love, belonging and the hope of a future spent together. Obi broke the kiss and smiled tenderly at Shirayuki. "Let's forge a path, together."