Advancing
A/N: Okay, so this chapter is going to be a little...okay a lot – er – very fast. Just because I'm to...lazy to actually write out everything although that's something I would normally do, and also because of inspiration that flees quickly and sudden notice that the difference between my story and the fav's (-cough - reviewers – cough-) is that its...slow and not really going where I want and in order to jerk it back on track sudden measures must be taken. [Ehe, yeah. Take every chance you get to bribe (lollipops) and compliment (coughing fit) the reviewers.]
-
It wasn't the adventure I had been expecting. Not the adventure that one dreams of as a little child. And every child dreams of adventure even if, given the choice, that particular child would refuse such an outdoors experience, as I would have.
We continued our advance into the great forest, the forest in which the border between Edenth and our neighboring kingdom Thael lay. Neither Erih, Otamo nor I knew what we were doing, and Lander refused to admit to not knowing anything for he 'had no reason to know anything.' Erih and I frequently used this excuse against him, Erih teasing him relentlessly of his absentmindedness and I laughing along with her, the leader.
The second day away from home was similar to the first. Awkward and unpredictable silences as we tracked down the dusty trail. Erih was unusually quiet, her hands folded across her chest, her still gossamer-like hair in perfect waves, cascading down her back. Her clothes were clean and her skin was spotless. I, in contrast, was covered in dirt, my hair was a mess of twigs tangled deep and my clothes thankfully were yet to have holes. Otamo complained infrequently and Lander never.
Each night became a routine; Lander hunting while Otamo made the fire. Erih and I were the classical nobles, completely useless and unknowing in the grand forest. After two days of silence on the road, Erih broke.
"It's too quiet." Silence. "Okay, then entertainment." Erih shrugged to herself and fell back into her usual silence, feel back into a disturbing trance and her usual silence.
"You know," started Otamo, "this adventure isn't quite what I thought you were picturing Erih. In fact, what'' the point of – " He was suddenly cut off by a deep and rather loud growl come from the side of the trail.
I screamed, despite my better judgement, and was shushed almost immediately by Otamo's left hand clamped over my mouth. I glanced down and in his right was a familiar looking dagger in place of two fingers. I glanced at Erih as Otamo released me. She too had the sword back in her hand, missing three fingers and Lander was equipped with a bow, arrows and a hat. He had all his fingers, but I realized that his green hair was not poking out from beneath the hat. I felt a slight tingling in my right hand and looked down to see a long staff in place of three of my fingers.
I didn't have much time to panic about the loss of three fingers, the reality of it not striking me as fast as sudden quaking of the earth beneath me feet. I wobbled, tipping to the side while skipping sideways in attempt to maintain some balance. Erih lunged forward with a sudden surge of the ground, toppling into Otamo while I fell sideways into Lander.
A dragon rounded the corner ahead of us; a full grown scaly beast with leathery wings. I was numbed with fear, unable to breathe, much less talk, which made Lander's hand over my mouth rather useless. Erih yelled with an emotion I distinguished as excitement.
It was fake. It was Erih making some fun for herself. I cringed in confusion, and Lander released his hold as I slacked from my tense fear. He turned to me, those blue eyes, no they weren't blue they were – Erih was laughing and the dragon, which had shrunk in size, did a few somersaults.
"You okay Leiryh?" He asked, his tone saturated with worry. I grinned as I heard Otamo join in the laughing. My mind refused to register anything; it was numb with shock. Lander's eyes were a questioning ruby-red and Erih and Otamo were jogging over to check on me, their weapons, and I realized mine, were gone.
I blinked a few times, recognizing worried faces, rather worried tones, as they each in turn asked me if I was okay. That was Otamo, his face split between a scowl at Erih and a weak grin at me, and that was Erih, torn between laughter and guilt. That was Lander again, his eyes white – and there was Erih asking Otamo if he'd like it better if she took out her boredom on him.
No! Lander's eyes are brown! I forced myself to look at him as he watched Erih tackle Otamo into the dirt. I saw the flicker of color I knew they were and relaxed, listening to Otamo and Erih fight as they once did in the brook. Everything was back to normal, it was okay now.
The next day we were on the track again, but the day held more excitement and energy than the day before.
Otamo, Erih and I walked side by side, conversing as we always did, in random bursts of thought and detail. Lander set his pace behind us, contented with the debarking of a rather large twig.
"I was bored." Protested Erih for the third time that morning. I grinned, she wasn't guilty about it anymore, and instead she was quite pleased with herself. "It was good practice to, just in case any strange bandits come along down the road; I can turn the forest in an army!"
"Please don't."
"Sure, that can be all good and useful, but you don't see it as we do." Otamo kicked absently at a rock in the path.
"Oh? And how do you see it?"
"Leiryh and I see it as a real thing. A living, breathing, hungry monster from some fairy tale. Lander too."
"Lander is a fairy tale, a dragon isn't a fairy tale." Erih pulled her long plait of hair over her shoulder.
"Lander is a fate, not a fairy." I had to put in my own opinion or the conversation would eventually stop despite the fact that Erih and Otamo could easily argue for hours without a word from me. Lander's silence at the rear disturbed me, and after my last input I quickly broke away from the two.
"Are you alright?" I asked as I waited for him to catch up. It was a rather lame question, and I was embarrassed for speaking so without speaking, but Lander seemed to easily disregard it. A sudden shiver passed through my spine, one I hadn't felt for a long time. I caught my breath and watched as Lander twitched his hand as it played with the bark of the branch he held. The comfort was a welcomed relief. "Ghost?" I asked, remembering what Tol had told me.
"No." I paused a moment, confused.
"Then what is it and why does it go away when you..." I wiggled my fingers in front of me to signify the movement of his hand. I merited a chuckle, which made me blush. I was making a fool of myself.
He hesitated before answering me. "It's your fate." He shifted uncomfortably, scratching his head, ruffling with his hair with his empty hand. "It's the thing that determines your fate. They, "he motioned to Otamo and Erih. "They have it too. Just not as frequently because...well they only have half a fate."
"Half a fate?" I was intrigued, and I turned sideways to look at him while we walked. I avoided his eyes, not wanting to be distracted on this topic.
"They can choose some things, you can't choose anything. It's all predetermined for you. Not a choice, not an option, only an opinion. An opinion." He swished the branch at his side against the ground.
"I have a choice...I choose to come willingly on this...trip." I was unsure of myself, speaking without thought at the sudden realization.
"That's an opinion." He pointed towards me with a large piece of stripped bark.
"I came willingly versus coming under force." I argued, surprised with myself for arguing at all on such a small subject. It was Erih and Otamo that did that.
"That's an opinion." He repeated sighing. "The only thing that matters is that you came. It's similar to liking foods. You like some foods and absolutely hate others, the fact is that you eat them or you don't. Same thing with acquaintances, your friends or your enemies, you either know them or you don't."
"But I have a choice whether they are my friends or my enemies."
"No, that's an opinion." He looked at me to emphasize his point and I quickly switched my gaze to his hair. It's green, it's green, and I know what it is. And his eyes are brown...brown... I looked and there were the eyes I knew were purple – Otamo and Erih were farther ahead of us now than they had been a minute ago. I moaned in frustration and switched my gaze to the ground.
I felt his eyes on me, the brown eyes that I knew were brown. It was silent a moment before he asked quite suddenly, "What color are my eyes?" I looked out of habit, the habit to answer people's questions when they are so naturally simple and was caught again looking at blue eyes as Erih kicked up a bunch of trail dust at Otamo.
I gasped in my surprise to be caught so easily and weakly pushed his arm as though it would push him away. It didn't, predictably, and instead caused me to step sideways a couple feet. I glared at him and his hidden eyes a moment. "Well, if what you say is fact and opinion than Erih and Otamo have as much as a choice in their fate than I do."
"No, people change their fate constantly through their opinions."
"I'm people too – er – a person too." I stuttered, glancing away at the ground before steeling my resolution and turning back to him. "I'll change my fate through my opinions then." I caught sight of his eyes, the brown eyes, and it sent a different shiver down my spine.
"Do it." He threw the stick off into the trees. "Do it and when you manage to do it I'll be the first to congratulate you." The silence fell again and we walked, I in thought and Lander...Lander in being. Minutes passed and I listened to Erih and Otamo ahead as their argument drew to a close. They'd be needing me again to start up another one.
"I'm going to catch up with Erih and Otamo." I told him simply. A shiver once more ran my spine and I scowled, but the comfort came anyway.
"The fate passes through you and comes to either Tol, Ratiug or I in our next sleep or meditation." I was caught again with interest.
"Leiryh! Lander! There's someone coming!" Erih and Otamo ran up to us from ahead, Erih already beginning to focus and phase as she seemed to have a habit of doing before making something appear.
The tingling sensation in my hand stung as the horse hooves pounded around the curve.
A/N: Okay, so this chapter is going to be a little...okay a lot – er – very fast. Just because I'm to...lazy to actually write out everything although that's something I would normally do, and also because of inspiration that flees quickly and sudden notice that the difference between my story and the fav's (-cough - reviewers – cough-) is that its...slow and not really going where I want and in order to jerk it back on track sudden measures must be taken. [Ehe, yeah. Take every chance you get to bribe (lollipops) and compliment (coughing fit) the reviewers.]
-
It wasn't the adventure I had been expecting. Not the adventure that one dreams of as a little child. And every child dreams of adventure even if, given the choice, that particular child would refuse such an outdoors experience, as I would have.
We continued our advance into the great forest, the forest in which the border between Edenth and our neighboring kingdom Thael lay. Neither Erih, Otamo nor I knew what we were doing, and Lander refused to admit to not knowing anything for he 'had no reason to know anything.' Erih and I frequently used this excuse against him, Erih teasing him relentlessly of his absentmindedness and I laughing along with her, the leader.
The second day away from home was similar to the first. Awkward and unpredictable silences as we tracked down the dusty trail. Erih was unusually quiet, her hands folded across her chest, her still gossamer-like hair in perfect waves, cascading down her back. Her clothes were clean and her skin was spotless. I, in contrast, was covered in dirt, my hair was a mess of twigs tangled deep and my clothes thankfully were yet to have holes. Otamo complained infrequently and Lander never.
Each night became a routine; Lander hunting while Otamo made the fire. Erih and I were the classical nobles, completely useless and unknowing in the grand forest. After two days of silence on the road, Erih broke.
"It's too quiet." Silence. "Okay, then entertainment." Erih shrugged to herself and fell back into her usual silence, feel back into a disturbing trance and her usual silence.
"You know," started Otamo, "this adventure isn't quite what I thought you were picturing Erih. In fact, what'' the point of – " He was suddenly cut off by a deep and rather loud growl come from the side of the trail.
I screamed, despite my better judgement, and was shushed almost immediately by Otamo's left hand clamped over my mouth. I glanced down and in his right was a familiar looking dagger in place of two fingers. I glanced at Erih as Otamo released me. She too had the sword back in her hand, missing three fingers and Lander was equipped with a bow, arrows and a hat. He had all his fingers, but I realized that his green hair was not poking out from beneath the hat. I felt a slight tingling in my right hand and looked down to see a long staff in place of three of my fingers.
I didn't have much time to panic about the loss of three fingers, the reality of it not striking me as fast as sudden quaking of the earth beneath me feet. I wobbled, tipping to the side while skipping sideways in attempt to maintain some balance. Erih lunged forward with a sudden surge of the ground, toppling into Otamo while I fell sideways into Lander.
A dragon rounded the corner ahead of us; a full grown scaly beast with leathery wings. I was numbed with fear, unable to breathe, much less talk, which made Lander's hand over my mouth rather useless. Erih yelled with an emotion I distinguished as excitement.
It was fake. It was Erih making some fun for herself. I cringed in confusion, and Lander released his hold as I slacked from my tense fear. He turned to me, those blue eyes, no they weren't blue they were – Erih was laughing and the dragon, which had shrunk in size, did a few somersaults.
"You okay Leiryh?" He asked, his tone saturated with worry. I grinned as I heard Otamo join in the laughing. My mind refused to register anything; it was numb with shock. Lander's eyes were a questioning ruby-red and Erih and Otamo were jogging over to check on me, their weapons, and I realized mine, were gone.
I blinked a few times, recognizing worried faces, rather worried tones, as they each in turn asked me if I was okay. That was Otamo, his face split between a scowl at Erih and a weak grin at me, and that was Erih, torn between laughter and guilt. That was Lander again, his eyes white – and there was Erih asking Otamo if he'd like it better if she took out her boredom on him.
No! Lander's eyes are brown! I forced myself to look at him as he watched Erih tackle Otamo into the dirt. I saw the flicker of color I knew they were and relaxed, listening to Otamo and Erih fight as they once did in the brook. Everything was back to normal, it was okay now.
The next day we were on the track again, but the day held more excitement and energy than the day before.
Otamo, Erih and I walked side by side, conversing as we always did, in random bursts of thought and detail. Lander set his pace behind us, contented with the debarking of a rather large twig.
"I was bored." Protested Erih for the third time that morning. I grinned, she wasn't guilty about it anymore, and instead she was quite pleased with herself. "It was good practice to, just in case any strange bandits come along down the road; I can turn the forest in an army!"
"Please don't."
"Sure, that can be all good and useful, but you don't see it as we do." Otamo kicked absently at a rock in the path.
"Oh? And how do you see it?"
"Leiryh and I see it as a real thing. A living, breathing, hungry monster from some fairy tale. Lander too."
"Lander is a fairy tale, a dragon isn't a fairy tale." Erih pulled her long plait of hair over her shoulder.
"Lander is a fate, not a fairy." I had to put in my own opinion or the conversation would eventually stop despite the fact that Erih and Otamo could easily argue for hours without a word from me. Lander's silence at the rear disturbed me, and after my last input I quickly broke away from the two.
"Are you alright?" I asked as I waited for him to catch up. It was a rather lame question, and I was embarrassed for speaking so without speaking, but Lander seemed to easily disregard it. A sudden shiver passed through my spine, one I hadn't felt for a long time. I caught my breath and watched as Lander twitched his hand as it played with the bark of the branch he held. The comfort was a welcomed relief. "Ghost?" I asked, remembering what Tol had told me.
"No." I paused a moment, confused.
"Then what is it and why does it go away when you..." I wiggled my fingers in front of me to signify the movement of his hand. I merited a chuckle, which made me blush. I was making a fool of myself.
He hesitated before answering me. "It's your fate." He shifted uncomfortably, scratching his head, ruffling with his hair with his empty hand. "It's the thing that determines your fate. They, "he motioned to Otamo and Erih. "They have it too. Just not as frequently because...well they only have half a fate."
"Half a fate?" I was intrigued, and I turned sideways to look at him while we walked. I avoided his eyes, not wanting to be distracted on this topic.
"They can choose some things, you can't choose anything. It's all predetermined for you. Not a choice, not an option, only an opinion. An opinion." He swished the branch at his side against the ground.
"I have a choice...I choose to come willingly on this...trip." I was unsure of myself, speaking without thought at the sudden realization.
"That's an opinion." He pointed towards me with a large piece of stripped bark.
"I came willingly versus coming under force." I argued, surprised with myself for arguing at all on such a small subject. It was Erih and Otamo that did that.
"That's an opinion." He repeated sighing. "The only thing that matters is that you came. It's similar to liking foods. You like some foods and absolutely hate others, the fact is that you eat them or you don't. Same thing with acquaintances, your friends or your enemies, you either know them or you don't."
"But I have a choice whether they are my friends or my enemies."
"No, that's an opinion." He looked at me to emphasize his point and I quickly switched my gaze to his hair. It's green, it's green, and I know what it is. And his eyes are brown...brown... I looked and there were the eyes I knew were purple – Otamo and Erih were farther ahead of us now than they had been a minute ago. I moaned in frustration and switched my gaze to the ground.
I felt his eyes on me, the brown eyes that I knew were brown. It was silent a moment before he asked quite suddenly, "What color are my eyes?" I looked out of habit, the habit to answer people's questions when they are so naturally simple and was caught again looking at blue eyes as Erih kicked up a bunch of trail dust at Otamo.
I gasped in my surprise to be caught so easily and weakly pushed his arm as though it would push him away. It didn't, predictably, and instead caused me to step sideways a couple feet. I glared at him and his hidden eyes a moment. "Well, if what you say is fact and opinion than Erih and Otamo have as much as a choice in their fate than I do."
"No, people change their fate constantly through their opinions."
"I'm people too – er – a person too." I stuttered, glancing away at the ground before steeling my resolution and turning back to him. "I'll change my fate through my opinions then." I caught sight of his eyes, the brown eyes, and it sent a different shiver down my spine.
"Do it." He threw the stick off into the trees. "Do it and when you manage to do it I'll be the first to congratulate you." The silence fell again and we walked, I in thought and Lander...Lander in being. Minutes passed and I listened to Erih and Otamo ahead as their argument drew to a close. They'd be needing me again to start up another one.
"I'm going to catch up with Erih and Otamo." I told him simply. A shiver once more ran my spine and I scowled, but the comfort came anyway.
"The fate passes through you and comes to either Tol, Ratiug or I in our next sleep or meditation." I was caught again with interest.
"Leiryh! Lander! There's someone coming!" Erih and Otamo ran up to us from ahead, Erih already beginning to focus and phase as she seemed to have a habit of doing before making something appear.
The tingling sensation in my hand stung as the horse hooves pounded around the curve.