15

Siofra was starting to recover. A gentle warmth had spread throughout her tired body. She had found relief sitting with her back against the oddly comforting cold rock behind her. As she sat there motionless, feeling her breath flow out like she was exhaling her fatigue, feeling the wind gently caress her skin and flapping her hair strains over her eyes, she wished to become one with the rock, becoming a perpetual stone herself.

“My Lady, Corc wishes to see you. The battle was a victory!” A soldier in a squad interrupted. Siofra stares up at him, her face blank. “Right…” she says, as pushes up on her wobbly, waking legs. Cirida also stands from her tranquil seating position. She stood upright with ease. Her stance was calm and collected as was her face. “Sir, are you sure they’re not just commoners. She’s all dirty from head to toe. And her companion is wearing villager rags” a soldier could be heard whispering. “This is the princess. You watch your tongue around her or Corc will hear of this!” a veteran soldier quickly scolded him. The frisky, rookie soldier quickly straightened up “yes, sir” he said hiccuping his words.

They started to walk up the slightly the inclined path to the fort. “Where are they” Siofra asked. She couldn’t see much of anyone around in the distance. “They have taken him inside the fort for treatment, My Lady” A soldier said. “Treatment? Will he be alright?!” Siofra quickly asked, turning to him as they walked. The soldier squinted his eyes into the distance “His cuts are deep, if he wasn’t Tidwield’s son I would have told you he’s as good as dead. But I’ve seen your father survive worst, he’ll be fine ,My Lady and he’ll only grow stronger” the soldier said. Siofra’s eyes relaxed and her limbs loosened as she walked.

Siofra had never walked through a battlefield after a battle. The path was stained with bloody footprints leading away from battle. The blood was dark and thick on the tip and edges and faded towards the heel. She looked down as she stepped past the invisible fighters as they eternally ran for their lives. Blood red caught her eye, this time in the blood covered boots of the soldier walking next to her. She exhaled deeply, looked ahead, Her mouth neutral, her eyes sharp and focused.

Siofra went further, to where most of the fighting had taken place. The air was thick with with the repugnant smell of iron that tingled the roof of her nose. She stiffened her body struggling to get used to breathing it in.

Ahead the ground was covered in blood. It had turned to a dark sticky mud. Axe heads, broken blades rested on top. Siofra stepped lightly. The bodies had been moved to the edges of the path, piled into a knee high crimson tangled mess of flesh, leather, patches of hair and lifeless limps sticking out, bending every which way. Siofra could not stand to look, at first sight she shriveled, her arms clumped into her chest. “You must not turn away, you are a princess” Cirida said in a calm tired voice as she walked beside her, unaffected by the carnage around her.

Siofra slowly lifted her head, her right eye half closed, to the piles of flesh lining the path. There was a young man, pale skin, soft round cheeks, tranquil, slightly opened lips. He stared at Siofra’s direction. As she went past him, they made eye contact. His eyes half close, empty, a sight of peaceful tranquility. For a moment she forgot he was dead. A head atop of gruesome pile of death. A small breeze came that startled the flies around him and caressed his cheeks.

They made their way past the gates of the fort where lifeless bodies sat rested against the wall.

There were two guards on the entrance to Corc’s new tent. “Why can’t I see him” Siofra asked one of the guards, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. “I’m sorry, My Lady, captain’s orders. He is treating Lord Corc” the guard said sternly. Cirida took a step forward “Is that how you talk to your princess?” Cirida asked. The guard’s eyes moved nervously. Siofra sighted quietly “It’s fine, I’ll come back, but when I do, I wont be taking no for an answer” she said trying to control her loudness. She sharply turned, her eyes lustered with unshed tears.

Siofra and Cirida looked around the fort for a place to rest. All cots scattered on the ground tempted them, no mater if they had questionable brown or yellow stains, were scratched or had flies buzzing around. But they were not appropriate for a princess, more so, surrounded by the wounded. She looked around, but the only real place fit for her was Corc’s tent. She would have to wait for Corc’s treatment to finish.

“Princess, anything you need?!” shouted someone from behind. Siofra turned to see a horse with a soldier from before. Siofra took a step back “woah, where you get the horse?” she asked, impressed. “We left them behind a mountain before we came here. We’re bringing them inside the fort for now, My Lady” the soldier responded. Siofra could have used a horse before. “But why not use them in battle?” Siofra asked. “Not enough flat land, better to fight on foot in these grounds, My Lady” the soldier answered.

The soldier’s eyes moved between Cirida and Siofra “Are you and your companion hungry or thirsty, My Lady” he asked softly. “We could use some food and drink, also some water to wash ourselves with” Siofra said. “We have plenty of food, my lady. These pigs had plenty of stolen food to gorge on. They didn’t have much water however, just barrels and barrels of beer. I’ll have some soldiers share some drinking water and bring you food. “Your service is much appreciated” Siofra said with a light nod, while closing her eyes.

“Prince Corc is unable to ride right now, we have plenty of wounded, our horses are tired and were low on supplies. It would be good to rest here tonight, My Lady” the soldier said. “Yes, of course. Thats likely for the best” Siofra responded. “Tomorrow some will ride for supplies, you can ride along with them to the nearest city” the soldier said. Siofra’s eyes widen instantly, her jaw hung softly before her face turned blank again “…No, that won’t be necessary. My place is next to Corc for now” Siofra said. The soldier nodded subtly “Well, if you change your mind, let me know, My Lady” the soldier said as he bowed and walked away.

By the time Siofra got dinner, the sun was setting behind the steep mountain behind the fort. The soldiers had set up some tables near the fire place. Siofra was excited for dinner. She was hoping there would be more Rabbit like the one Pango gave her. To her disappointment it was just plain peasant bread and plain meat that was overcooked and not seasoned beyond salt. But her and Cirida were too hungry to care. They devoured all the food that they were given, surrounded by wounded who laid on their cots and soldiers who drank sitting on the ground.

The sunset was about to end and the night about to begin when Siofra and Cirida got to Corc’s tent. This time the guard stepped aside and let them through, he wasn’t about to stand in the way of Siofra and her piercing, determined eyes. Siofra opened the flaps of the door tent.

The inside was cast with darkness, only the feint, warm glow of some oil lanterns blanketed Corc in the far end of the tent. The inside was quieter, the darkened purple fabric walls shielded from the mountain breezes and muffled the loud laughs of the drunken soldiers. Only their silhouettes visible when they occasionally walked by. There was a waxy scent of oil mixed with a tingly hint of iron.

Corc laid in a bed made of cushions facing up. He was covered in a fur blanket all the way to his bare shoulders that had heavy, blood soaked, bandages. His bruised pale skin with traces of blood smears.

They walked to Corc, slowly. And with each step closer, Siofras eyes more wet, until a tear shed as she fell to her knees next to him. She looked at his peaceful, resting face, and put her hands through his brown feather like hair. “Brother, I’m here for you” Siofra said, as she burst out crying.