Aly padded down the forest track, leaves crunching beneath her bare feet. Her face grew red with exertion and her breath came in short gasps. She came to a halt under a tall palm. Bending over she struggled to regain her breath.
"Mithros, I'm lazy." She looked back down the path. Over the trees could vaguely be seen the haze above the city. "It wasn't that far… I really need to run more."
Tricks head popped up near her ear. "Funfun… go bouncybouncy!"
Aly grinned wryly. Trust trick to enjoy it.
Before her eyes, when she turned, stretched empty beach. Everyone, even children, were preparing for Dove's coronation. Aly felt more than ready to take advantage of the isolation.
With Trick informing her of pieces of gossip found around the city, she stripped off to a breastband and loincloth, then waded into the chilly blue-green waves. She shivered; each step numbing her body.
Despite her determination to relax she found herself thinking of that last battle… and of Nawat.
"Aly sad?" Trick's tentacle crept up to wipe away tears Aly hadn't known existed. The darking's question pulled her up. Sad? Aly didn't think she was sad; not anymore. She was more hurt than anything. Hurt that what she'd thought was going to last forever had never been meant to be.
She patted her companion. "No Trick. I'm not sad. Just confused."
The constant pounding of the waves soon drove all coherent thought from her mind and she finished her swim without further mental anguish. As she left the water memories of Nawat and Tortall came flooding back.
Homesick, too. This wasn't going to be fun.
Thinking, Aly mused, was bad for the mind.