Hi guys, I'm back, if you have read my story recently you know that there has been some confusion with chapter 4 being repeated in chapter 5. Hopefully that will be fixed soon but until then just bear with me, the site has not been completely helpful but with any luck my story will be corrected soon. Also sorry about the delay, but I was on vacation for the last two weeks. I had finished this chapter before going away but didn't have a chance to put it up, thanks for your patience and remember to review!
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We set off at a gallop, using the road that did not actually enter the forest, but stayed close enough that, should we be followed, we could enter it quickly for protection. I remembered Chrys handing me something and I looked in the palm of my hand. I held a dagger, with a beautiful ivory hilt in a plain leather sheath. I attached it to my belt while trying to keep up with Chrys.
"Arina?" Chrys called behind him. "Stop for a minute." I obeyed and slowed my horse, while Chrys rode back towards me. "I have to do something," he said. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Wait just inside the woods. I will whistle softly four times, when you can come out."
"Is everything all right, Chrys?" I asked, slightly worried.
"Everything is fine, I promise, I'll be back soon." And with that he left me. He was back, however, in the allotted time and we rode on.
I wondered at my feelings for him. When I met him that afternoon, I thought he was agreeable and I felt sorry for him. But when I saw him that night it was like looking at him for the first time. He was so tall and handsome... and that hair. I still wanted to reach out and touch it. I must have not been paying attention to the road because just as I was thinking how nice Chrys's hair was my horse almost hit a tree and I went flying. The next thing I knew was an incredible pain in my ankle and then I was on the ground and in Chrys's arms and he was rocking me.
"Are you all right? Oh Arina, tell me you're all right!" There was such feeling in his voice, I reached up and put my hand on his cheek,
"I'm all right, Chrys, don't worry about me," I responded. "Let me stand up," I added, swiftly jerking back my hand. He gently pulled me to my feet and once more I felt the wrenching pain in my ankle, I gasped involuntarily.
"What is it? Where does it hurt?" He questioned, tenderly.
"My...my ankle hurts. I think it's sprained. Help me get me to my horse, I know I can ride even if I cannot walk or stand." I leaned on his shoulder as he escorted me to my horse and tenderly helped me to mount. Although the pain in my ankle decreased greatly after taking my weight off of it there was still a dull pain which would not abate.
"Are you sure you are all right?" Chrys asked.
"And even if I'm not where do you suggest we go for help, back to the castle? Yes, that's a wonderful idea." The pain and embarrassment of falling of my horse made me sarcastic.
"All right, fine, pardon me for worrying about you, I was just trying to help. I was under the impression that was something friends did." We were both mad and the silence surrounding us was heavy with unspoken words and emotions. I wanted to apologize, but I wanted to sulk too. I wanted someone to talk to, who could help me sort out my feelings for Chrys. I remembered the warm tenderness of Chrys's shoulder as he helped me to the horse and the feeling I got when I sensed his heartbeat through his chest. Mari would have helped me understand the situation. Tears came to my eyes as I thought of my nurse. I reached to wipe them, but I saw Chrys reign his horse. I stopped also and pulled my hood a little closer over my eyes until I remembered I was still under the potion. A man on a white horse was approaching us.
"Hail, strangers!" He greeted us.
"Hello there," we answered in unison, I knew the man looked familiar but could not place him.
"It's a late night for traveling," he remarked.
"Yes, it is," Chrys replied, offering no explanation.
"Where are you folks headed?" He asked.
"We're on our way to this young fellows mother's sickbed. She's dying, don't you know," I answered. I thought we might as well keep the same story.
"Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that. I am actually on my way to the castle. I am the royal tailor," as he said that I remembered him. "and was sent for to make the Princess's wedding dress. She's to marry Prince Vonecart, you know, of Gelgonheimer. I heard that she ran away, but was taken, and her father has restricted her to her chambers. Is it true?" I smiled to hear him talk and at the fact that this man was making the long journey for nothing.
"Yes, it is true," Chrys explained, seeing I was keeping my mouth shut. "She spit in her betrothed's face and the King is in a huge fit over it. I am very sorry but we really must be going. Godspeed on your journey."
"Godspeed," the stranger answered. As soon as he was out of earshot, we both started to laugh. It felt wonderful to be free of restrictions, to be able to laugh when I wanted to.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you, Chrys," I told him.
"That's all right, are you still in pain?" he asked.
"A little, but there isn't anything to worry about." I replied. "I'll be fine." I was amazed at how worried Chrys was. I could tell from his manner he was really concerned. It was about twelve o'clock and we were only about halfway around the forest. We rode on in silence, each of us feeling the stillness heavily upon us. It took us about another two hours to get to the other side of the forest, but we still did not know where Mari's daughter's house was. The night air was cold and the darkness made it hard to see the houses that dotted the road along the forest's edge.
"Chrys," I called. "Maybe we should stop for the rest of the night. We can't see anything anyway. Even if we did know exactly where Mari's daughter's house was we probably couldn't find it now."
"Your right. There appears to be a small village over there, maybe there is an inn we could lodge in for the night."
"Lets go, my ankle is still a little sore." I said. We rode toward the direction of the few lights that were still on. There was a small inn with a sign that read "The Grimsby Village Inn" that looked clean and respectable. Chrys went over and knocked the door. It took two more tries before a grumpy looking man opened the door.
"How can I help you this evening?" he asked, yawning.
"We need two rooms," Chrys stated.
"Sorry, Sir, no can do, we have only one room left." Chrys looked at me and I shrugged.
"We'll take it," he announced. The man nodded,
"Follow me, please." I walked as best I could with Chrys's help as the innkeeper led us up two staircases and then pointed down the hallway, "Third door on your left." And then he was gone, I assumed back to his own bed. We walked to the third door on our left and Chrys fit the small key the innkeeper had given us into the lock. The room had a small bureau, with a bowl and pitcher on top, and a small double bed in the center of the room. That was it.
"I suppose that you and I will have to share the bed." I said.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Of course I'm sure, I wouldn't make you sleep on the floor especially after all you have done for me."
"I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable. That's all."
"You won't, now come in, it's cold." I had sat down on the bed upon entering the room, because of my protesting ankle, but had gotten in after taking off my shoes and belt. I turned over and felt the bed move slightly as Chrys climbed in and then I fell asleep.
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That's chapter 5 or 6, depending what's going on with Chapter 4. The next one will be up soon. Review...Please? Thank you!
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We set off at a gallop, using the road that did not actually enter the forest, but stayed close enough that, should we be followed, we could enter it quickly for protection. I remembered Chrys handing me something and I looked in the palm of my hand. I held a dagger, with a beautiful ivory hilt in a plain leather sheath. I attached it to my belt while trying to keep up with Chrys.
"Arina?" Chrys called behind him. "Stop for a minute." I obeyed and slowed my horse, while Chrys rode back towards me. "I have to do something," he said. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Wait just inside the woods. I will whistle softly four times, when you can come out."
"Is everything all right, Chrys?" I asked, slightly worried.
"Everything is fine, I promise, I'll be back soon." And with that he left me. He was back, however, in the allotted time and we rode on.
I wondered at my feelings for him. When I met him that afternoon, I thought he was agreeable and I felt sorry for him. But when I saw him that night it was like looking at him for the first time. He was so tall and handsome... and that hair. I still wanted to reach out and touch it. I must have not been paying attention to the road because just as I was thinking how nice Chrys's hair was my horse almost hit a tree and I went flying. The next thing I knew was an incredible pain in my ankle and then I was on the ground and in Chrys's arms and he was rocking me.
"Are you all right? Oh Arina, tell me you're all right!" There was such feeling in his voice, I reached up and put my hand on his cheek,
"I'm all right, Chrys, don't worry about me," I responded. "Let me stand up," I added, swiftly jerking back my hand. He gently pulled me to my feet and once more I felt the wrenching pain in my ankle, I gasped involuntarily.
"What is it? Where does it hurt?" He questioned, tenderly.
"My...my ankle hurts. I think it's sprained. Help me get me to my horse, I know I can ride even if I cannot walk or stand." I leaned on his shoulder as he escorted me to my horse and tenderly helped me to mount. Although the pain in my ankle decreased greatly after taking my weight off of it there was still a dull pain which would not abate.
"Are you sure you are all right?" Chrys asked.
"And even if I'm not where do you suggest we go for help, back to the castle? Yes, that's a wonderful idea." The pain and embarrassment of falling of my horse made me sarcastic.
"All right, fine, pardon me for worrying about you, I was just trying to help. I was under the impression that was something friends did." We were both mad and the silence surrounding us was heavy with unspoken words and emotions. I wanted to apologize, but I wanted to sulk too. I wanted someone to talk to, who could help me sort out my feelings for Chrys. I remembered the warm tenderness of Chrys's shoulder as he helped me to the horse and the feeling I got when I sensed his heartbeat through his chest. Mari would have helped me understand the situation. Tears came to my eyes as I thought of my nurse. I reached to wipe them, but I saw Chrys reign his horse. I stopped also and pulled my hood a little closer over my eyes until I remembered I was still under the potion. A man on a white horse was approaching us.
"Hail, strangers!" He greeted us.
"Hello there," we answered in unison, I knew the man looked familiar but could not place him.
"It's a late night for traveling," he remarked.
"Yes, it is," Chrys replied, offering no explanation.
"Where are you folks headed?" He asked.
"We're on our way to this young fellows mother's sickbed. She's dying, don't you know," I answered. I thought we might as well keep the same story.
"Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that. I am actually on my way to the castle. I am the royal tailor," as he said that I remembered him. "and was sent for to make the Princess's wedding dress. She's to marry Prince Vonecart, you know, of Gelgonheimer. I heard that she ran away, but was taken, and her father has restricted her to her chambers. Is it true?" I smiled to hear him talk and at the fact that this man was making the long journey for nothing.
"Yes, it is true," Chrys explained, seeing I was keeping my mouth shut. "She spit in her betrothed's face and the King is in a huge fit over it. I am very sorry but we really must be going. Godspeed on your journey."
"Godspeed," the stranger answered. As soon as he was out of earshot, we both started to laugh. It felt wonderful to be free of restrictions, to be able to laugh when I wanted to.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you, Chrys," I told him.
"That's all right, are you still in pain?" he asked.
"A little, but there isn't anything to worry about." I replied. "I'll be fine." I was amazed at how worried Chrys was. I could tell from his manner he was really concerned. It was about twelve o'clock and we were only about halfway around the forest. We rode on in silence, each of us feeling the stillness heavily upon us. It took us about another two hours to get to the other side of the forest, but we still did not know where Mari's daughter's house was. The night air was cold and the darkness made it hard to see the houses that dotted the road along the forest's edge.
"Chrys," I called. "Maybe we should stop for the rest of the night. We can't see anything anyway. Even if we did know exactly where Mari's daughter's house was we probably couldn't find it now."
"Your right. There appears to be a small village over there, maybe there is an inn we could lodge in for the night."
"Lets go, my ankle is still a little sore." I said. We rode toward the direction of the few lights that were still on. There was a small inn with a sign that read "The Grimsby Village Inn" that looked clean and respectable. Chrys went over and knocked the door. It took two more tries before a grumpy looking man opened the door.
"How can I help you this evening?" he asked, yawning.
"We need two rooms," Chrys stated.
"Sorry, Sir, no can do, we have only one room left." Chrys looked at me and I shrugged.
"We'll take it," he announced. The man nodded,
"Follow me, please." I walked as best I could with Chrys's help as the innkeeper led us up two staircases and then pointed down the hallway, "Third door on your left." And then he was gone, I assumed back to his own bed. We walked to the third door on our left and Chrys fit the small key the innkeeper had given us into the lock. The room had a small bureau, with a bowl and pitcher on top, and a small double bed in the center of the room. That was it.
"I suppose that you and I will have to share the bed." I said.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Of course I'm sure, I wouldn't make you sleep on the floor especially after all you have done for me."
"I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable. That's all."
"You won't, now come in, it's cold." I had sat down on the bed upon entering the room, because of my protesting ankle, but had gotten in after taking off my shoes and belt. I turned over and felt the bed move slightly as Chrys climbed in and then I fell asleep.
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That's chapter 5 or 6, depending what's going on with Chapter 4. The next one will be up soon. Review...Please? Thank you!