The wind was picking up as the sun ascended into the sky, and falling brown leaves were gently caressing Etana's face as they danced by with the gust. She leaned her bloody head against the trunk of a tree (the third one from the maple tree by the castle, halfway across the plain) and repositioned herself on one of the higher branches, looking up at the cloud-forming sky. The clouds were thick and grey, implying that rain was imminent.
"What now, Etana?" she asked herself, blowing her bangs up in front of her puffy eyes. What was she to do now? Go back to Ilom? Well, that was the plan to begin with… but she wasn't wanted there, and quite honestly, she didn't want to try to impress them anymore. She had heard of a little town just outside Death Mountain. Maybe she could start over there…
Suddenly, Etana heard approaching footsteps crunching leaves from below. They were slow, casual steps, and when she looked down to see who had found her, Drury's annoyed face greeted her from below. He was holding a fur cloak and a pair of shoes in his arm, which the girl guessed was for her.
"Etana, what are you doing?" he inquired, standing at the base of the tree.
"Leaving. There's no reason for me to be here anymore."
Drury sighed. "Please come down."
"Why should I? Give me one good reason!" Etana commanded, shivering violently as she picked a fallen leaf from her hair.
"I have warm clothes for you," he offered, waving them in the air in an attempt to entice her with them. They do look warm…
"I'm not cold," she lied, failing to hold back another shiver. The girl crossed her arms and looked away from him.
"It's going to rain soon," Drury predicted, looking up at the grey sky.
"I don't care."
"Etana, please," he begged. "We won't have to go back right now. We can just stay here." She didn't answer, but only stared down at him in contemplation. Could she trust him? He could easily take her back with him; she wouldn't be able to put up any sort of fight with her injuries. Then again, if that was his intention, Drury could climb the tree and take her down…
Etana nodded at him and dangled her legs over the branch, then leapt down to the cold ground. She let out a groan as she landed on her hands and feet, just as she did when she escaped the castle, and reopened those wounds as she did so. Some leaves fell off of the branch that she rattled and into her short, blonde hair. Drury hustled over to the injured girl and wrapped the cloak around her bare shoulders, the fur warming her instantly. Despite this, she couldn't help but feel the cold sting of déjà vu…
The tree let a few pieces of loose bark fall to the ground as Etana leaned against it, huddling herself in the warm fur. She wanted to thank Drury, but decided to not speak a word until he revealed why he had come for her. After taking the shoes and covering her callused feet, she looked at him with wondering eyes, waiting for him to explain.
The Kondian soldier held out his elbow for the girl to take. "Would you like to take a walk?" he suggested with friendly hazel eyes.
Etana gave him a suspicious glare, stepping backward. "I told you that I'm not going back." Was this a trick? If so, it wasn't very well thought out.
Drury smiled and shook his head, keeping his elbow extended toward her. "You lead the way." Etana couldn't help but give a slight grin back as she took his arm and clung to it, leading them away from Kondo.
For a while, neither of them said anything to each other. They walked in silence together, taking slow strides through the field and letting the cold wind bite their ears. The girl didn't want to talk, and Drury, seeming to sense that, allowed her to speak whenever she felt like. After a while, Etana took a deep breath, exhaled it, and looked up at her escort.
"Why did you come for me?" she asked, slowing her steps even further. "Is it because Ivan sent you?"
"Ivan thinks I'm training," he answered plainly.
"Oh, so Hyrule sent you."
Drury let out a slight chuckle. "If he knew you were outside the castle right now, we'd both be dead." Etana widened her eyes at the last part of his sentence. "Oh, not dead dead," he explained when he realized her fear. "But we'd be in a lot of trouble."
"You're afraid I'll get you in trouble," she declared with furrowed eyebrows, annoyed at having to be babysat.
"I came because you need me here."
"Do not!" Etana contested, stopping in her tracks.
"Oh, ok," Drury replied sarcastically. "Guess I'll just go back then…" After saying this, the soldier turned back to the castle and started toward it, not looking back. As he walked, he counted under his breath "Three… two… one…"
"Wait!" the girl called after him as if on cue. Her footsteps hurried to catch up to Drury, who was smirking at his accurate prediction that she would run back. Etana removed the fake Dusk Stone from around her neck and handed it to the boy. "Give this back to Hyrule for me, then," she added with a smirk of her own.
Chortling, Drury responded, "You're good, Plamen." Etana, with a triumphant grin, put the rock back around her neck and tucked it into her cloak for safekeeping.
"Drury, believe me, I don't want to leave this. But…" Tears started forming in the girl's eyes, and resisting them was futile. "…but what's the point of staying if nobody wants me?"
"Oh, Etana," the soldier whispered and took her into his arms as she broke down. Her sobs caused her entire body to shake, and water began to fall from the sky, too. The goddesses knew, Etana thought, they knew how Etana had never been wanted. Yet, here, she thought she had finally found someone who at least enjoyed her presence. Clearly, she was wrong, and the gods mourned. So, here she was again, unwanted, alone, and lost.
"Hyrule obviously wants you," Drury suggested, the tears of the goddesses cascading from his short black hair and down his face.
"As a spy," she countered between heavy breaths. "As a tool."
"Well, I think you're forgetting someone standing right in front of you." He looked down at her with a warm smile.
"Drury, if you're going to declare your love for me, too, this is about to get really awkward," Etana confessed, a slight chuckle breaking through her sobs. The soldier chuckled with her, which eased her nerves greatly.
"Sorry, darling. I guess your irresistible charm didn't have an effect on me," he taunted, rolling his eyes. The girl giggled more, and her tears ceased.
"But, do you mean it?" she asked with innocent eyes. "You really want me here?"
"Yeah," he admitted, the corners of his lips turning up as if he had just realized it true. "I mean, what else would I do if I didn't have to save your skin all the time?" Etana continued her laughter, now thankful to have her friend here.
The two were silent for a while as Drury drew the girl in to embrace her. Drury, while relieved to have made Etana feel better, was now faced with the problem of returning her to the castle. She was probably less stubborn now that she wasn't upset, but, he concluded, Etana was a tad unpredictable. For all he knew, she might run off to Zora's Domain and evolve to live among them.
"Now," he continued, pulling away, "what can I do to bring you back with me?"
Etana glared and furrowed her brow. "Beat up Ivan."
"Well, I already had that planned for today," he teased, "but I can deliver an extra beating exclusively from you."
"Drury…" she began sorrowfully after a slight chortle. "…what happened?"
The boy let out a sigh and looked down at her. "He does love you. You know that, right?"
"Oh, yeah. Feeling the love…" Etana replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Etana…"
"What? He's not exactly proving it!" she contested with balled fists, frustrated and annoyed.
"Because he's scared, Etana. He doesn't want to lose you."
"L-lose me?" she stuttered. "He doesn't have me…"
"Doesn't he?" the boy suggested with a knowing look. "I know you have feelings for him."
The girl fell silent, her crystal blue eyes falling to the ground. Of course she had feelings for him; she thought about his kiss every waking moment. But love? No, it wasn't out of the question, but… but… Etana clutched her aching head. She had originally come to Kondo for evil, then for redemption, now for… for what?
She looked around her, across the plain that was becoming swampy under the pouring rain. Why am I here? Etana asked herself, simultaneously mouthing the words that she thought. "I…" she began aloud, struggling to make sense of the thoughts in her mind. "I am here… because of Ivan." Her eyes were still glued to the ground, explaining things more to herself than she was to Drury.
"He told you?" the soldier asked, astounded. The girl gave him a confused look.
"Told me what?" she inquired.
"Ivan…" he sighed, looked around, and continued, "Ivan was the one who suggested you be used as a spy. He was the one who got you out of that cell." Etana melted on the inside like a little girl, but immediately pushed her feelings away, still trying to figure things out.
She shook her head. "No… this spot. I am in this spot…" she looked down at her feet, her shoes becoming soggy in the rain, "because Ivan drove me here."
Drury chuckled at the girl. "No, you're here because you are absolutely the most stubborn Hylian I have ever met in my entire life, Etana. You just don't give in. Goddesses, what a pain in my butt you've been." With his finger, the boy lifted up her chin and smiled.
Etana blinked rapidly three times and held her breath. "Yeah," she whispered, a grin appearing on her face. Her one-sided smile looked almost maniacal. "I'm stubborn, and Ivan is stupid!" she exclaimed, looking around as if she had just had an epiphany.
"Yes, Etana, I've known all of this for quite a while now."
Whoo, finally got out of my block! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter; it kinda makes me giggle. But don't get too comfortable yet... we can't forget about that mysterious and shady character...
Also, I don't own Angharrad. She belongs to Patrick Ness and the Chaos Walking series. I just love making references to my favorite stories :)
The girl shook her head rapidly. "I'm not leaving him, Drury." She turned around to leave, and looked back at the soldier with a glint in her eye. "And he's not leaving me, either."
"Wait!" he called after her just as she took a step back toward the castle, stumbled, and almost fell. Before Etana could angrily respond, she heard a sweet tune from behind her. She had never heard it before, but it sounded like it had an alluring power… like it could draw something forward…
Suddenly, faintly in the distance, Etana heard the rapid clip clop of hooves approaching from the castle. Within only a few seconds, a beautiful yet powerful chestnut mare stood in front of Drury and whinnied, shaking her hair in glee.
"How did-" the girl began, bewildered.
"Take her," he cut her off, handing her the reins. "It's dangerous to go alone." Drury gave her a knowing smile and gestured her to get on the saddle. Etana nodded, grasped the saddle and swung herself atop the antsy and jittery horse.
"Thank you," she told him as she held the reigns in her hands, still sticky with dried blood.
"Hi-yup, Angharrad!" he called, slapping her back twice, and off Etana went to get her soldier back.