Karigan awoke on the day of her departure with a throbbing headache. She lay staring at the ceiling and grimaced as her temple pulsated rhythmically, tenderly reaching her hand up to massage the sore spot. She realised numbly that this was the last time she would look around her room for some time, perhaps forever. The memories of her time in the castle would fade as her room lay dormant, as all memories inevitably did. The last 2 days had heaved with the activity of preparing for a long emissary trip. There were meetings to be had, packing to be done and goodbyes to be said. The hardest part had actually been sitting down to write a letter to her father and aunts. It was all very sudden and she did not know when or if she would see them again. Even before the trip had been settled upon she had been dreading writing the goodbye letter to her family as she did her part to prepare for war. She felt uneasy, as did other riders; it might well be the only goodbye they would ever have. It was heartbreaking to do that by letter when she so desperately wanted to see them again. But at least that goodbye-I'm-going-to-war letter now looked pretty straightforward. How did one explain the can of worms that were the Eletians? "Father, dearest aunts, I must say goodbye as I may never see you again. I am tasked with entering Eletia and no one has ever been to or returned from such a place before. Wishing you health and happiness, your loving Karigan." She smothered a snort and wearily rested the back of her hand on her forehead after realising she had half spoken her letter out loud. The gods only knew if she was going crazy.
Karigan considered the door opposite her bed and began mustering the energy to walk out of it towards the washroom to start the day. Despite her best efforts to focus on the seemingly endless tasks that were required prior to her leaving, her tryst with the king was her first thought when a moment of quiet arose. Like now. She blushed and her breath hitched as she remembered the way his lips so tenderly dragged down her throat. When he spoke to her of his fear and his love, the way she had watched through a telescope many moons ago. Truth be told, that was the worst part of this whole sorry mess. She had heard those words and couldn't quite believe it was happening; unbeknownst to her, she hadn't realised that she had saved those words and quietly filed them away in the section of her mind labelled "lover, friend, husband". Not, "man who was untouchable". The unfairness of it all….
She blinked back tears and swung herself out of bed with a hiss. Time to move on and move out.
Karigan entered the stable as the stars shone overhead, allowing her eye a moment to adjust to the lantern light before walking slowly over to the stall nearest the door.
"Hey boy," she crooned. Condor lowered his head and sniffed at her clothes, gently butting his head on her shoulder. She stroked the hair between his eyes and he sighed. She grinned.
"You ready boy? We have a big adventure ahead of us. I know we haven't gone on a long ride together in a while, and I'm sorry for that. But it's time to go further than the castle walls tonight."
He looked her up and down and blew on her face gently. She sighed and leaned in closer to him.
"Truth be told, I'm a bit worried how I'll handle this. Treat me gently, hey?"
She walked slowly to his side and smiled. She had been off duty from looking after Condor since her return and the stable hands had seen to him. Apparently she was a bit of a local legend. Condor got the best hay, the freshest water and the cleanest stall. He had clearly been treated admirably and was by all accounts enjoying his first class treatment mightily and smugly. She opened the door and her throat tightened, understanding immediately why they had moved him to this large stall. They had saddled him already just how he liked it, and made her a special step and hold so she could grip a raised rail to gently ease herself onto his back with minimal pain. Gosh, the stable hands were the most caring of palace workers.
They walked out of the stall slowly and she assessed her pain as Condor moved surely and steadily. Better than a week ago. Good. They continued down the path towards the lake and arrived just as the reflection of the bright, full moon began to caress the edge of the lake. She had already taken her leave of her friends that afternoon but she was very glad to see that Laren, Mara, Garth and Tegan had joined the Eletians to send her off. The king and queen were there as well, as befitted such an emissary trip, as well as several other officials. The three Eletians sat on their mounts serenely and watched her approach. She felt butterflies in her stomach and gripped the reins harder, her body tense with nerves. She breathed out slowly, willing herself to calm down, and bowed to the Eletians in her seat before turning towards her monarchs to pay her final respects. She glanced briefly at their serene faces before lowering her eyes to the ground.
"Your Majesties, I pray that the gods will bless you with the greatest of fortunes and health in the time to come and I hope to be returned in time to aid you in this fight. I will not let you down." Karigan finished her rehearsed speech and bowed to them both.
The king nodded towards her, his face calm. "Sir Rider Karigan, the queen and I have the utmost belief that you will comport yourself with honour, and are glad that you have this opportunity to deepen the relations between our people. We wish you health and good fortune."
He ended his simple speech and Karigan bowed to him again, her hands gripping the leather even more tightly. So far so good. Throughout the exchange the Eletians watched with pleasant expressions. At the conclusion of the king's words, Somial glanced at the moon as if consulting a cosmic timepiece.
"Youngling, we had best begin our journey whilst Laurelyn still honours us with the light of her favour." Somial turned to face Karigan who nodded, and he smiled as flashes of silver and green swirled across her body. He inclined his head towards her as a silent sign of respect to the magic of the two beloved females who had so powerfully and distinctly left their mark on this human woman. He looked forward to a visit from Nari come winter time. It had been an age.
The party left, with Karigan turning only once to wave at the fading party in the distance. She swallowed nervously as they left by a small side gate that led to the Green Cloak, the Eletians preferring to enter the forest directly instead of through the city. They travelled in silence for a long time. Karigan fidgeted at first and hesitated before trying to speak but the words always died on her lips before she could talk to her companions. They took almost no notice of her as their graceful forms whispered through the trees at a stout pace. Karigan cringed at the racket she was making, trying to silently ask Condor with her knees if he could be a little quieter. He snorted and stomped his feet hard. Karigan sighed.
Suddenly Somial was at her side, smiling up at her.
"Do not worry, youngling. We choose to meditate on the beauty of this night we have been blessed with. You need not concern yourselves with any perceived weaknesses as we are glad to have you as a travelling companion. And if you are not careful with your requests, you may find your companion less pleased to travel with you." He winked at Condor, who pretended he hadn't heard the Eletian.
Karigan laughed somewhat breathlessly.
"Thanks Somial. I will admit to being a little nervous. Ok, a lot nervous. I know so little about your kind and do not wish to burden you, although I am eager to see your home."
Somial smiled softly as he trotted in pace with Condor.
"The valley we are blessed to call home is indeed special. Whilst it is no Argenthyne, I must admit a deep fondness and reverence for the trees and wild folk that share our home. It is most wondrous to be surrounded by the talk of the ancient ones."
Karigan was confused. Maybe he's talking about the trees? He's definitely talking about trees, she concluded as she watched him run his hand over a trunk as they passed it. She squirmed in her seat as the discomfort that had been bumbling in the background grew sharper. Looking at the sky she could tell that they had travelled into the early hours and supressed a yawn, reluctant to admit that she was in quite a bit of pain and would definitely need to sleep soon. In a first for her, she felt annoyed at being human.
Almost as if the gods had descended from the heavens to pave her way, Somial, who was now leading, gestured to the left and the party veered off the track. Within moments Karigan found herself in a small clearing that was protected by tall trees and impossible to see from the main path. Little bushes were scattered around and a slowly moving stream cut through the edge to provide them with water. Karigan almost teared at the sight of this place as her pain grew worse by the minute, compounded by both hunger and tiredness.
"We will rest here for the remainder of the night," said Somial. The other Eletians melted into what she assumed were watch positions leaving her and Somial alone. She froze for a second, having not yet considered how she could gracefully get off Condor. Somial glanced at Condor, who looked back thoughtfully. All of a sudden there was a lurch beneath Karigan and she let out a surprised murmur. Bless Condor, she thought with amazement. He buckled his knees and sank mostly gracefully to the ground, something she had never seen before. Somial held out his hand to her and she stiffly twisted out of the saddle and onto firm ground, relief and love for her horse surging through her in equal parts. Somial kept her hand and led her into the centre of the clearing. She smiled nervously.
"Would you allow me to try something?" he asked in his mild manner. She nodded.
He lifted his hands and eased her eye patch off. She closed her eyes automatically and revelled in the freeing feeling of cool air sweeping across her entire face. Fingertips gently pressed her cheeks, the edges of her eyes and temples, and the top of her head. After a few moments of stillness she felt a cool, jelly like sensation trail down from her neck and into her spine whilst also feeling heat radiate down and into her muscles. It was the most curious of sensations to feel hot and cold at the same time, in all the right places. Karigan sighed with pure joy at the relief her body felt. After what felt like an age but must have been a few minutes at most, Somial lifted his fingers and Karigan blinked open her eyes. He stared at her solemnly as she gazed at him dreamily before realising with alarm that her mirror eye was exposed and would invariably start to hurt any moment. She hurriedly applied the patch, resigned to the lack of feeling that would follow.
Somial broke eye contact with a smile and walked to his pack, beginning to setup camp. Karigan stayed where she was a moment and soaked in the rare feeling of wellbeing.
"I have been pondering of late whether that might work on your wounds and it gladdens me to see relief in your face. You carry much pain for someone so young. I see you are surprised that your eye was exposed for so long. Tell me, when did you last gaze out of it?"
Karigan considered this for a long moment, feeling a bit stupefied still.
"Hmmm. I guess not for a few moons. Now that I am completely blind in that eye and the healers can do nothing more for it, Ben just checks it every so often but otherwise, the king has forbidden me to show it. Ben has been busy with…well, he has his work cut out for him when I visit. My eye hasn't been his biggest priority for some time."
Somial did not reply for several minutes.
"You might find that whilst you are blind to the visions of the waking world, there may be features of the world that now only you can see. Time will tell."
Karigan rubbed her good eye, suppressing a sigh at this cryptic message. She was too tired to work it out. Remembering her manners she turned towards him.
"I can't thank you enough Somial, for all you've done for me. I feel…like the pain is at arm's length. I can't tell you what that's like." She stared at him with meaning, trying to convey the gratitude that her words could not.
Somial nodded and then she thought she detected a micropause.
"I would advise you young one, to keep the knowledge of your eye close to your heart during your stay in Eletia. Whilst the sages of our kind most definitely foresaw this event, not all are privy to your concerns. Magic or not, there are factions within our people and it would be best for your mirror eye not to be common knowledge, unless my Lord commands it. We shall see."
Well, that sounds great, Karigan thought with alarm. But it was a problem that would have to wait for morning. She needed to relieve herself, eat and sleep, in that order.
They continued to set up camp and Somial graciously rolled out an Eletian bedroll for her. Karigan protested but Somial insisted, telling her it was a travelling gift from himself. Shortly after her ablutions the other Eletians returned and they sat around a small fire to share a late supper. Karigan watched with interest as the Eletians calmly and reverently prepared a sort of soup from rations that were tied beautifully into little packages with leaves. She thought she saw dried red berries and black seeds. Her companions had been successful on their foraging trip and brought wild onions, dandelions and a rabbit. She watched them with fascination as they sat, head bowed in silence, the hand of the male Eletian gently resting on the head of the rabbit. After a few seconds they continued cooking and soon Karigan was being served with the most delicious soup she had ever eaten. They again sat with bowls in hand, eyes closed and Karigan mimicked them, her eyes slit open just slightly so she knew when they had stopped. Once they began to eat, she followed suit and blinked in surprise.
"Mmmmmmm," she said with delight. "This is the most incredible soup I've ever eaten!"
They smiled at her delight.
"We are glad, Sir Karigan," spoke the male hunter. His eyes sparkled when he spoke. "My name is Gal'iel. This soup is a simple yet traditional nourishment prepared on the road. We honour our bodies with this meal, just as we honoured the forest for providing the life that allowed us to partake of the nutrition our bodies need."
Karigan was relieved they had finally started speaking. She bowed her head. "Nice to meet you Gal'iel. And thank you for making me dinner."
He smiled and his female companion spoke next.
"I am known as Teladriah. It is an honour to meet the woman who assisted our Great Lady, Laurelyn."
Karigan's cheeks burned momentarily at the compliment before she was transported back to the memory of meeting the noble Eletian, and she smiled. "I still can't quite believe it myself. I am so glad that I was able to help her. Thank you for guiding me to you home."
Having finished dinner, Karigan offered to help wash up but they waved her away. She sat on her log awkwardly unsure of what to do or say next. Somial turned to her with a smile.
"Young one, we will begin our commune with the trees and stand watch over you. You are safe in this clearing this night. Would you like to join us in our still time or would you prefer to sleep?"
Karigan felt awed. Meditating with Eletians in a forest! Could this day be stranger?
"I would be honoured too. I can't sit for very long though. Would you mind if I laid down? That's how I normally visit Seastaria anyway, since that's how Enver taught me when I was wounded."
She thought she detected Gal'iel"s and Teladriah's eyes widen slightly at her mention of Seastaria but Somial maintained a neutral expression and bowed his head.
"As you wish."
She visited her makeshift bathroom once more and then slowly moved into her bedroll, stifling groans. It was so warm and cosy. She snuggled down and quickly checked the others, watching them facing each other in cross legged positions with serene expressions on their faces. She closed her eyes and quickly found her way into a meadow to spend some time relaxing before falling into the deepest sleep she had had in months.