Chapter 5

Aislin glanced at the room one last time before closing the door and walking up to the horse tied outside. Sami was already sitting on it, weak but conscious.

“Thank you”, she whispered.

Aislin nodded, not sure how to act around this stranger from enemy land. But the gods had wanted her to save her, and so she would. Eru glared at the soldier, but Aislin knew she wouldn’t do anything now that they had decided to take her with them. She just hoped the woman wouldn’t be dangerous to them once her leg healed.

They walked in silence, and soon, the first raindrops began to fall. Aislin pulled her cloak closer around her. Eru plodded along, walking as quickly as her legs could carry her. She hadn't uttered a sign of complaint and only followed behind the horse, staring at the ground. Aislin glanced up at the woman. She was watching the road ahead, her eyes dull, clutching the saddle to hold herself up. She wondered where she’d come from and what she was doing here. Such a high-ranking soldier wouldn’t fight the war on the ground with the footmen. She must have come directly from the Zarvān Kingdom, but in what errand, Aislin didn’t know. Once the woman was stronger, she would ask her.

They continued throughout the day, turning north when the trees grew sparse. She didn’t know where they were going, only that they needed to find somewhere to stay and keep away from the soldiers. As the evening fell, the rain let up, and they made camp under a large spruce. It was dryer there, and Aislin helped Sami down from the horse and lay her down underneath the branches. They’d taken as much food as the saddlebags could carry, and she took out a loaf of bread and shared it with the others. Eru sat down, trembling in the cold, and Aislin sat down next to her and pulled her underneath her cloak. They ate in silence, and soon the sun set, and they spent their first night in the wild again.

They continued the next day, still silently plodding through the forest and the light drizzle that turned their clothes damp and clinging to their skin. Last night had been cold, and Aislin worried that both Sami and Eru would catch a cold. At home, sitting by the fire, a cold would pass, but out here, it might be the last thing you endured. They had been lucky, though, and hadn’t heard a single clash of swords. Maybe the war would ease up over the cold winter months.

By the afternoon, the rain let up, and as evening fell, they made camp by a river. The rain hadn’t fallen this far north, and they were lucky and found dry branches for a fire. They shared another loaf of bread, and Aislin sat staring into the flames as the sun set, willing mercy from the gods. That night, they huddled together, Eru sleeping between them, covered by their cloaks. It didn’t help. The next morning, the girl was coughing, and Aislin put her on the horse to ride with Sami. She barely protested, despite sitting next to the stranger. Yet, Sami was feeling better, and she quietly talked to the girl throughout the day. Aislin couldn’t hear what she spoke, and Eru wouldn’t have understood her words, but to her surprise, the girl didn’t mind it and leaned against Sami, listening to her voice. That night, the girl shivered badly as they lay down, her eyes pale and barely awake.

“She’s getting worse”, Sami whispered as they lay down next to her.

Aislin nodded.

“She’s not gonna make it if we continue.”, Sami added.

“We don’t have any other choice.”

Aislin pulled the sleeping girl closer, huddling her underneath her cloak.