Chapter 29
The hours of rest dwindled way and made a path for the hours of the new day. Milla and Tal did get some rest eventually but awoke many times during the night. Tal had often coaxed Milla to sleep that night which changed the way Tal saw her. Milla had always seemed like a calm and controlled person but the night's events made Tal see Milla in a new light. Milla was just a normal girl who was brought up in a harsh environment which ruthlessly shaped her into what she was today and Tal felt sorry for her. Milla was shaped to be warrior where weakness was not an option therefore had to be suppressed. Milla was reliant on many things and now that she was a grown woman she found herself losing the things she had relied on. Like the dream Crones for instance they never came to her aid last night.
"Being a warrior must have never left her anytime for love or other passions in life," Tal thought as he finally realised her fear.
"She is afraid of love because she has never experienced it before," Tal thought further as he got dressed.
Milla was still shaken from last night and was determined not to show it although Tal could plainly see the fear eating her from the inside. It pained him to see her like this but if he mentioned his love for her then she would surely break down and she couldn't afford to do that in her position as War Chief because many people looked up to her.
Tal sighed heavily. It was a big problem that needed to be solved quickly but Tal knew he couldn't press the issue or it would break Milla.
"I will have to start slow then," Tal thought and went to help Milla with her boot that she had spent ten minutes trying to get on.
Tal silently pushed her hands gently away and unlaced the boots. Tal quietly corrected the problem and laced them up for her. He smiled when he was done and sat next to her on the bed.
"Milla, I have something to tell you," Tal started.
Milla looked at him and lifted a finger to his lips.
"I must speak to you first, it concerns. . .us," Milla said choking out the last word.
Tal heard the strain in her hard pressed calm voice and remained quiet, Tal could wait. Milla took in a shaky breath and turned to face him and held his hand squeezing it lightly.
"Tal, remember when you tried to kiss me yesterday?" Milla asked.
Tal nodded but his face didn't show any sign of hurt or anguish, in fact he kept smiling.
"When you passed out during the meeting with the Crones, they asked me what my feelings were for you. I told them that I was. . .confused about my feelings," Milla said squeezing Tal's hand tighter.
"Go on," Tal urged lightly.
"I honestly thought that they would stop their questioning there. . .and they did," Milla said replaying the scene in her head.
Tal raised and eye brow questioningly.
"Then a Crone spoke of making us go through the Trials to help with our. . .my. . .decision," Milla finished, taking in a long breath.
Tal was now confused.
"What are the Trials?" he asked confused.
"They are a series of tests that a couple must undergo to prove to others that they are indeed in lov. . .a match. . .but more importantly it helps the couple realise if it was meant to be," Milla said with a little struggle in her voice.
Tal stared blankly at Milla trying to absorb what he just heard. Tests to prove one's love? It sounded like the achievement game in Castle.
"Knowing the Icecarls as I do it must be like the obstacle achievement game," Tal thought bitterly.
"Tal? Tal say something," Milla said worriedly as the silence stretched.
Tal shook himself from his thoughts and looked at Milla in all seriousness, smile gone from his face.
"I never thought I had to prove my love," Tal started before being interrupted.
"Tal believe me I never wanted this to happen and the test is more for me than fo. . ." Milla started but Tal held a finger to her lips and kissed her. The kiss was full of his love for her, even if Milla didn't know it.
Tal parted himself and stood ready to leave.
"Know this; I never intended to prove my love, I thought it was clear but I also knew many people would never have foreseen it. Milla, I will take the Trials for your sake but I am disappointed at you for not trusting your feelings, even a warrior shaped by the ice must know when to use the head and the heart," Tal said summing up his present thoughts and feelings before leaving Milla to think about what he just said.
Tal left Milla's quarters satisfied that he lifted a burden off his chest that was threatening to crush him. Tal felt he had also lifted a burden off of Milla's shoulders but felt a pang of guilt as he thought back to the conversation. Had he put his heavier burden on her? This thought eat at Tal as he searched the ship for a Crone to talk to. Oddly enough he passed one on the way to the Feasting hall neither did he find one present inside the hall.
Tal's search led him all over the ship and as he walked through every corridor he thought of the stupidity of the Icecarls for blind folding him as he arrived here on the first day because now he was lost in an endless maze of similar looking corridors. Tal passed doors and large rooms he had never seen before and started to get a little frustrated.
"Dark take it! Why did they have to blind fold me?" Tal raged silently as he walked through a hallway that looked very familiar.
Tal looked to his sunstone and studied its depths. The time was the half an hour passed the eighth hour. Tal sighed and calmed himself.
"Okay, you can find an exit to the ice, just follow the heat. If it drops then you're on the right path," Tal coaxed himself.
He would have to find a Crone later. Right now he concentrated on finding a way out of here and onto the ice where he could easily follow the ships exterior to the main entrance. Tal unclasped his toggles of his trench coat and moved down the hall when he got to a familiar fork in the road. Tal shut his eyes and felt for any indication of the ice. Just as Tal was about to give up because he felt stupid just standing there with his eyes shut, a very faint cold breeze wafted towards him that came from the left side of the fork. Tal smiled.
"Maybe there may be some hope left," Tal thought as he followed the breeze until it faded.
Tal was now feeling colder as he felt the temperature drop. Tal followed the cold towards a large door made of oak. He pushed on it and it budged. Tal felt a cold wind slice through him as he stepped through and cursed himself for not doing up his coat. Tal raised his sunstone to wash himself with its heat to stop the sudden cramp that formed in his thigh.
"Okay now that I have found the ice I should find the entrance," Tal thought as he descended the steps in front of him.
The wooden steps overlooked a vast cave where many small ships and boats were docked. Tal stared at the vastness of the cavern and was truly amazed. Tal reached the bottom of the steps and as he did he noticed that there were people rolling barrels and pulling bags of what smelt like selski meat. Tal's boots crunched on the ice as he made his way out of the cavern and onto a frozen lake. Tal slipped and slid across it on his boots and cursed as he fell over. Tal was noticed by a few Icecarl and was laughed at. Tal got back up and stood straight and smiled at them as he did they moved on. This was ridiculous, how was he to get anywhere without ending up with a sore rump before he could find the entrance?
Tal looked around for options when he spied a pair of attachable bone ice skates. Tal smiled mischievously looked around for their owner. Satisfied that no one was about Tal snatched them up promising to return them. Tal looked at the skates and wondered how to put them on after inspecting its various parts.
"The hooked end must go in the front, must be the brakes," Tal thought.
After a few failed attempts Tal secured them to his boots tightly and got up warily.
"Okay, how do I do this?" Tal muttered as he took baby steps towards the open ice.
As Tal did this he picked up speed and almost fell over as a wind picked up and almost knocked him over. Tal steadied himself and spread his legs apart a little to make himself stand still to get his bearings. Tal saw that ship wall was three or five hundred stretches north west. Tal nodded and was determined to get to the wall and follow it, if he could even skate that far.
Tal tried to think back to the last time he had seen an Icecarl skate and an image popped into his head. When Tal was in the nightmare machine at the hall of nightmares and was trapped in his dream he remembered calling for the Crones. A Crone came to his aid on ice skates! Tal grinned as he remembered clearly how the Crone glided over the ice. Tal shut his eyes for a few moments, replaying the scene over in his head.
"Okay right foot first," Tal uttered as he lifted his foot and glided forward.
Tal slid for a few stretches and lost his balance. "Argh! Left foot follows!" Tal shouted as he brought up his left leg forward and shifted his weight.
Tal slightly leaned his body left and regained his balance. Tal's then placed both feet on the ice and slowed until he stopped. Pleased with himself Tal pumped a fist in the air and shouted out in joy and almost lost his balance.
"Tal you're great," he said and moved forward warily slowly gaining speed.
After a while skating became fun as he experimented with turning and stopping and soon he became confident that he could skate without falling. Tal spun in a circle by pivoting on the brakes and laughed at the sheer joy of getting dizzy. Tal was having so much fun he forgot what he was meant to be doing. Tal restrained himself and stood still and tried to get his bearings. He looked around to find the Ruin Ship shining luminously north of him. Tal saw that he was very far away and slapped himself as he saw the time. It was the eleventh hour. He had spent almost three hours out on the ice skating.
Tal set his face in determination. He had more pressing issues at hand and here he was playing around! Good grief if his father could see him now. Tal sped back in towards the ruin ship as fast as he could go without tripping over, which was quite fast, Tal had learnt quickly. As Tal neared the ship he noticed a green light and two figures crouched over something. Tal's curiosity got the best of him and he skated nearer to she who it was and what they were doing.
Tal approached as silently as he could not wanting to alarm anyone. One of the figures looked back as it heard Tal and alerted the other. They held up the lamp and in the green moth light Tal could see their familiar faces. It was Kira and Breg and as Tal noticed the rods and buckets near them he guessed they were fishing.
"Hello, what are you doing?" Tal asked casually.
"Oh! Emperor Tal!" squeaked Breg as she noticed who it was.
Tal smiled and saw Kira stiffen as straight as a board.
"What are you doing here?" Kira asked clearly stunned.
Tal smiled sheepishly and heard Breg giggle.
"I was lost and somehow I found myself on the ice, so I decided to learn how to ice skate," Tal said truthfully.
"Do you know how to skate now?" Breg asked in a friendly tone.
"Yes I do and I must say that it is fun. Did you know I spent almost three hours out here doing it?" Tal said happily as Breg giggled again then she looked serious.
"Um. . .shouldn't you be at the Trials?" Breg asked as a look of dread filled him.
"Breg! That's none of our business!" Kira hissed and lightly slapped her in the shoulder.
"Oh sorry," Breg said and bowed her head in shame.
"It's okay. Actually maybe you can help me find where the Trials are held," Tal said making Breg cheer up slightly.
"Maybe you should just go back to the ship; I'm sure someone else can help you better than we can and as you can see we are busy," Kira said politely.
"Oh Kira please, we have to help him. Glow jellies can wait this is more important and besides he's late," Breg chirped.
"But we don't know where the Trials are held," Kira said through gritted teeth clearly getting angry at Breg.
"Oh bleh! You're such a rotten liar!" Breg poked her tongue out at Kira and that made Tal smile.
Truly Breg was a one of a kind Icecarl. Kira sighed and gave in, there was no changing Breg's mind and Kira would have to go along with her to make sure she didn't get into trouble.
"Alright but we leave as soon as we get him you there or we'll get into more trouble," Kira addressed Tal.
"Thank you," Tal said and bowed.
"Let's go!" Breg said enthusiastically and led the way.
Tal followed and Kira sighed before taking up the rear.
"We'll have to go the back way so that we won't be seen so sorry about that," Breg yelled behind her shoulder over the din of the now howling wind.
"Okay!" Tal said and skated hard to catch up to her.
The hours of rest dwindled way and made a path for the hours of the new day. Milla and Tal did get some rest eventually but awoke many times during the night. Tal had often coaxed Milla to sleep that night which changed the way Tal saw her. Milla had always seemed like a calm and controlled person but the night's events made Tal see Milla in a new light. Milla was just a normal girl who was brought up in a harsh environment which ruthlessly shaped her into what she was today and Tal felt sorry for her. Milla was shaped to be warrior where weakness was not an option therefore had to be suppressed. Milla was reliant on many things and now that she was a grown woman she found herself losing the things she had relied on. Like the dream Crones for instance they never came to her aid last night.
"Being a warrior must have never left her anytime for love or other passions in life," Tal thought as he finally realised her fear.
"She is afraid of love because she has never experienced it before," Tal thought further as he got dressed.
Milla was still shaken from last night and was determined not to show it although Tal could plainly see the fear eating her from the inside. It pained him to see her like this but if he mentioned his love for her then she would surely break down and she couldn't afford to do that in her position as War Chief because many people looked up to her.
Tal sighed heavily. It was a big problem that needed to be solved quickly but Tal knew he couldn't press the issue or it would break Milla.
"I will have to start slow then," Tal thought and went to help Milla with her boot that she had spent ten minutes trying to get on.
Tal silently pushed her hands gently away and unlaced the boots. Tal quietly corrected the problem and laced them up for her. He smiled when he was done and sat next to her on the bed.
"Milla, I have something to tell you," Tal started.
Milla looked at him and lifted a finger to his lips.
"I must speak to you first, it concerns. . .us," Milla said choking out the last word.
Tal heard the strain in her hard pressed calm voice and remained quiet, Tal could wait. Milla took in a shaky breath and turned to face him and held his hand squeezing it lightly.
"Tal, remember when you tried to kiss me yesterday?" Milla asked.
Tal nodded but his face didn't show any sign of hurt or anguish, in fact he kept smiling.
"When you passed out during the meeting with the Crones, they asked me what my feelings were for you. I told them that I was. . .confused about my feelings," Milla said squeezing Tal's hand tighter.
"Go on," Tal urged lightly.
"I honestly thought that they would stop their questioning there. . .and they did," Milla said replaying the scene in her head.
Tal raised and eye brow questioningly.
"Then a Crone spoke of making us go through the Trials to help with our. . .my. . .decision," Milla finished, taking in a long breath.
Tal was now confused.
"What are the Trials?" he asked confused.
"They are a series of tests that a couple must undergo to prove to others that they are indeed in lov. . .a match. . .but more importantly it helps the couple realise if it was meant to be," Milla said with a little struggle in her voice.
Tal stared blankly at Milla trying to absorb what he just heard. Tests to prove one's love? It sounded like the achievement game in Castle.
"Knowing the Icecarls as I do it must be like the obstacle achievement game," Tal thought bitterly.
"Tal? Tal say something," Milla said worriedly as the silence stretched.
Tal shook himself from his thoughts and looked at Milla in all seriousness, smile gone from his face.
"I never thought I had to prove my love," Tal started before being interrupted.
"Tal believe me I never wanted this to happen and the test is more for me than fo. . ." Milla started but Tal held a finger to her lips and kissed her. The kiss was full of his love for her, even if Milla didn't know it.
Tal parted himself and stood ready to leave.
"Know this; I never intended to prove my love, I thought it was clear but I also knew many people would never have foreseen it. Milla, I will take the Trials for your sake but I am disappointed at you for not trusting your feelings, even a warrior shaped by the ice must know when to use the head and the heart," Tal said summing up his present thoughts and feelings before leaving Milla to think about what he just said.
Tal left Milla's quarters satisfied that he lifted a burden off his chest that was threatening to crush him. Tal felt he had also lifted a burden off of Milla's shoulders but felt a pang of guilt as he thought back to the conversation. Had he put his heavier burden on her? This thought eat at Tal as he searched the ship for a Crone to talk to. Oddly enough he passed one on the way to the Feasting hall neither did he find one present inside the hall.
Tal's search led him all over the ship and as he walked through every corridor he thought of the stupidity of the Icecarls for blind folding him as he arrived here on the first day because now he was lost in an endless maze of similar looking corridors. Tal passed doors and large rooms he had never seen before and started to get a little frustrated.
"Dark take it! Why did they have to blind fold me?" Tal raged silently as he walked through a hallway that looked very familiar.
Tal looked to his sunstone and studied its depths. The time was the half an hour passed the eighth hour. Tal sighed and calmed himself.
"Okay, you can find an exit to the ice, just follow the heat. If it drops then you're on the right path," Tal coaxed himself.
He would have to find a Crone later. Right now he concentrated on finding a way out of here and onto the ice where he could easily follow the ships exterior to the main entrance. Tal unclasped his toggles of his trench coat and moved down the hall when he got to a familiar fork in the road. Tal shut his eyes and felt for any indication of the ice. Just as Tal was about to give up because he felt stupid just standing there with his eyes shut, a very faint cold breeze wafted towards him that came from the left side of the fork. Tal smiled.
"Maybe there may be some hope left," Tal thought as he followed the breeze until it faded.
Tal was now feeling colder as he felt the temperature drop. Tal followed the cold towards a large door made of oak. He pushed on it and it budged. Tal felt a cold wind slice through him as he stepped through and cursed himself for not doing up his coat. Tal raised his sunstone to wash himself with its heat to stop the sudden cramp that formed in his thigh.
"Okay now that I have found the ice I should find the entrance," Tal thought as he descended the steps in front of him.
The wooden steps overlooked a vast cave where many small ships and boats were docked. Tal stared at the vastness of the cavern and was truly amazed. Tal reached the bottom of the steps and as he did he noticed that there were people rolling barrels and pulling bags of what smelt like selski meat. Tal's boots crunched on the ice as he made his way out of the cavern and onto a frozen lake. Tal slipped and slid across it on his boots and cursed as he fell over. Tal was noticed by a few Icecarl and was laughed at. Tal got back up and stood straight and smiled at them as he did they moved on. This was ridiculous, how was he to get anywhere without ending up with a sore rump before he could find the entrance?
Tal looked around for options when he spied a pair of attachable bone ice skates. Tal smiled mischievously looked around for their owner. Satisfied that no one was about Tal snatched them up promising to return them. Tal looked at the skates and wondered how to put them on after inspecting its various parts.
"The hooked end must go in the front, must be the brakes," Tal thought.
After a few failed attempts Tal secured them to his boots tightly and got up warily.
"Okay, how do I do this?" Tal muttered as he took baby steps towards the open ice.
As Tal did this he picked up speed and almost fell over as a wind picked up and almost knocked him over. Tal steadied himself and spread his legs apart a little to make himself stand still to get his bearings. Tal saw that ship wall was three or five hundred stretches north west. Tal nodded and was determined to get to the wall and follow it, if he could even skate that far.
Tal tried to think back to the last time he had seen an Icecarl skate and an image popped into his head. When Tal was in the nightmare machine at the hall of nightmares and was trapped in his dream he remembered calling for the Crones. A Crone came to his aid on ice skates! Tal grinned as he remembered clearly how the Crone glided over the ice. Tal shut his eyes for a few moments, replaying the scene over in his head.
"Okay right foot first," Tal uttered as he lifted his foot and glided forward.
Tal slid for a few stretches and lost his balance. "Argh! Left foot follows!" Tal shouted as he brought up his left leg forward and shifted his weight.
Tal slightly leaned his body left and regained his balance. Tal's then placed both feet on the ice and slowed until he stopped. Pleased with himself Tal pumped a fist in the air and shouted out in joy and almost lost his balance.
"Tal you're great," he said and moved forward warily slowly gaining speed.
After a while skating became fun as he experimented with turning and stopping and soon he became confident that he could skate without falling. Tal spun in a circle by pivoting on the brakes and laughed at the sheer joy of getting dizzy. Tal was having so much fun he forgot what he was meant to be doing. Tal restrained himself and stood still and tried to get his bearings. He looked around to find the Ruin Ship shining luminously north of him. Tal saw that he was very far away and slapped himself as he saw the time. It was the eleventh hour. He had spent almost three hours out on the ice skating.
Tal set his face in determination. He had more pressing issues at hand and here he was playing around! Good grief if his father could see him now. Tal sped back in towards the ruin ship as fast as he could go without tripping over, which was quite fast, Tal had learnt quickly. As Tal neared the ship he noticed a green light and two figures crouched over something. Tal's curiosity got the best of him and he skated nearer to she who it was and what they were doing.
Tal approached as silently as he could not wanting to alarm anyone. One of the figures looked back as it heard Tal and alerted the other. They held up the lamp and in the green moth light Tal could see their familiar faces. It was Kira and Breg and as Tal noticed the rods and buckets near them he guessed they were fishing.
"Hello, what are you doing?" Tal asked casually.
"Oh! Emperor Tal!" squeaked Breg as she noticed who it was.
Tal smiled and saw Kira stiffen as straight as a board.
"What are you doing here?" Kira asked clearly stunned.
Tal smiled sheepishly and heard Breg giggle.
"I was lost and somehow I found myself on the ice, so I decided to learn how to ice skate," Tal said truthfully.
"Do you know how to skate now?" Breg asked in a friendly tone.
"Yes I do and I must say that it is fun. Did you know I spent almost three hours out here doing it?" Tal said happily as Breg giggled again then she looked serious.
"Um. . .shouldn't you be at the Trials?" Breg asked as a look of dread filled him.
"Breg! That's none of our business!" Kira hissed and lightly slapped her in the shoulder.
"Oh sorry," Breg said and bowed her head in shame.
"It's okay. Actually maybe you can help me find where the Trials are held," Tal said making Breg cheer up slightly.
"Maybe you should just go back to the ship; I'm sure someone else can help you better than we can and as you can see we are busy," Kira said politely.
"Oh Kira please, we have to help him. Glow jellies can wait this is more important and besides he's late," Breg chirped.
"But we don't know where the Trials are held," Kira said through gritted teeth clearly getting angry at Breg.
"Oh bleh! You're such a rotten liar!" Breg poked her tongue out at Kira and that made Tal smile.
Truly Breg was a one of a kind Icecarl. Kira sighed and gave in, there was no changing Breg's mind and Kira would have to go along with her to make sure she didn't get into trouble.
"Alright but we leave as soon as we get him you there or we'll get into more trouble," Kira addressed Tal.
"Thank you," Tal said and bowed.
"Let's go!" Breg said enthusiastically and led the way.
Tal followed and Kira sighed before taking up the rear.
"We'll have to go the back way so that we won't be seen so sorry about that," Breg yelled behind her shoulder over the din of the now howling wind.
"Okay!" Tal said and skated hard to catch up to her.