16

Siofra put the side of her head on Corc’s chest area. Her tears flowed down to the fur beneath as she sobbed. “Why, why do do this to yourself…” she sobbed softly, her voice crackling as she gently pounded her arms on his body.

Corc groaned softly. Siofra quickly pulled back her head from his chest, realizing she might be hurting him. She wiped her tears and continued to stare from a safe distance as new tears come out.

After a while her head began to hunch, her eyes became a mess of teary and heavy. She wiped repeatedly with her hands but it only kept on coming.

Cirida reached her hand besides Siofra with some cushions and placed them flat next to her. Siofra looked at Cirida, her eyes barely open. Her body was physically and emotionally weak, cushions called for her tired body. She could no longer resist them and she slowly fell to lay down on them.

Cirida slowly backed up and stood, her right leg trembling slightly. She stared at Siofra, her eyelids slightly dropped and black strands of her black hair flowed down her face. Siofra’s eyes weren’t fully closed when Cirida’s footsteps became light and she walked to the door.

“Cirida!” Siofra shouted out with a gently whinny voice, her eyes half closed and vacant. Cirida turned her head to her, looking over her shoulder “I desire for you to stay here with me tonight” Siofra said. Cirida looked at her, blinked twice then slowly made her way to grab more of the plentiful cushions, no doubt meant for Kelso’s guests. She placed them on the edge of the tent, near the center.

She lay on her side, facing the door. She wiggled slightly to get comfortable before she stopped moving entirely.

The next time Siofra opened her eyes the fabric walls had gone a shade darker, there were much less guards howling outside and Cirida’s bed had gone empty. Siofra’s eyes were too heavy too keep open, and shut closed. They opened once more to footsteps of a patrolling soldier outside. Now a silence loomed, the soldiers had finished drinking. Siofra could hear the distant mountain wind hissing and the fire pit crackling. Cirida’s had returned, she could be seen laid down on her bed again under the faint lighting. Siofra’s eyes closed once more and the sounds faded.

Siofra awoke to blinding light. A soldier stood holding the door flap open. He stepped inside holding some bandages and a small yellow jar of what looked to be honey. His sleeves were rolled back revealing the hair on his arms. He looked at Cirida and Siofra then subtly sighted “My apologies princess, but I must tend to Prince Corc” he said with his head down. Siofra and Cirida stood, noticing Corc hadn’t woken up yet “yes, of course” Siofra said as the soldier went pass them and knelled down next to Corc. The soldier pulled Corc’s blanket down to his bear chest where blood stained bandages wrapped from the shoulder and back crossed. “We’ll…take our leave now” Siofra said hastily as she and Cirida walked out the tent. She took a big breath in outside the tent door and sighted.

“Princess!” a horseman yelled, his galloping horse stopping next to her. “Do you still need water to wash off? I brought a barrel of water for you, My Lady” as he pulled on the ropes of another horse carrying two wooden barrels. Siofra had forgotten how dirty her escape had made her. It was not appropriate for a princess to walk around like that. “…well, Yes. We’ll gladly take the water. Your service is most appreciated” said Siofra with a nod. “The rest of the supplies should be here soon, I don’t know what is taking them so long, they should have been here by now” the horseman said in a wavering voice, his eyebrows slightly furrowed and his eyes looking to the side where the entrance is.

Siofra and Cirida made a makeshift cover with cots to wash themselves behind it. The gentle, cold water stream bit into Siofra’s rough, dirty skin washing away a small patch and revealing her pale white skin. It was shivering cold but she was glad to be feeling something. She grabbed the container again and dipped it in the barrel then quickly poured in on her hunched head, letting the cold water cascade down her body. Dirt, blood, tears old and new washed away. Her bare skin glistened again beneath a thin layer of water.

Siofra’s clean skin could now feel the fresh breeze as she walked back to Corc’s tent. “Princess!?” the tent’s guard said, his eyes wide open, and slightly blushing. “I’m sorry, My Lady, I didn’t recognize you”

Siofra walked tall as she went past him and went inside the tent, Cirida followed. Corc was sitting in a chair in the center of the tent wearing only trousers while a soldier treated the bandages on his arm. “Come here sister” he said in a calm, resonating voice. Siofra stepped to him slowly, her eyes with a hint of a tremble.

Corc stood with a whispered groan and looked at Siofra from head to toe. “Did they hurt you, sister?” He asked as he lifted his bandaged arm, putting his thumb on Siofra’s cheek and caressing the red scratches on her pale skin “what happened to you here?” he asked.

“I fell” She answered in a voice like she was four and he was seven again. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner” Corc said. “No, no, I’m the one that is sorry. Because of me you almost died!” Siofra quickly responded, apologetic, waving her palms in the air. “No need to apologize to me sister, it is my solemn duty to protect the kingdom” Corc said, his face blank, his eyes starting straight at Siofra’s. “But, I was the one who got kidnapped. I didn’t think I could cause so much trouble” Siofra said, her eyes glistening. Corc put his hands on Siofra’s shoulder “Worry not sister, when we get back home, I’ll find a safe place for you. I’ll command guards to watch over you at all times” he said.

“…A prison” Siofra said as she shed a tear, stepped back, her arms clinched to her her chest. “Don’t think of it like that sister. The whole land plots against us, even more so when father finally conquers the Duesart. There well no place more safe for you”

“Is that my destiny, to live in a prison forever?” Siofra said. “It won’t be for long, soon father will have conquered all of Dragons’s Den. All the land will be yours to travel on. You just have to hang on for a little longer” Corc said in a soft, firm voice.

Siofra lowered her gaze to the ground. Her vision blurred by the tears shedding from her eyes. She knew her destiny was behind walls and guards. Occasionally staring outside from a window, watching the world go by.

Corc turned his attention to Cirida, who was standing rather quiet behind Siofra. “You must be Cirida. My soldiers have told me of your heroic deeds. The kingdom of Genogem is in your debt” Corc said. He walked over to his makeshift bed, turned over a cushion. A faint scraping sound was heard as he wriggled his hand reaching under. He stood and turned with a gleaming, warm glowing gold bar fragment clenched on hand.

Corc walked over to Cirida, gold fragment in hand. “Here” Corc raised his hand, opening his palm in front of Cirida. The gold fragment was about half a bar, it had a trail of blood running down where it looked like it was cleaved with mighty force.

Cirida didn’t even look at it. She looked straight at Corc’s eyes, blank faced “ I don’t want it” she said. “Hmmm? Don’t want it? But isn't that why you’re still here?” Corc asked, his voice slightly tense. Siofra also looked at Cirida through the corner of her eye. She understood Cirida even less.

“Who are you really?” Corc asked Cirida, his sharp eyes focused on her.