It’s been 78 hours and 24 minutes since I ran away from the land I’ve been confined to my entire life. The only thing keeping me lucid within the lush canopy of the forest is the thought of a new life, a future away from everything- from everyone that had caged me back in Elletra. To all occupants of the villages I pass along the journey to Celestis, I must look like a deranged lunatic with my grimy clothes and halo of disheveled black hair. The fatigue on my face which mirrors my mood and the reticence in my silver eyes must only add to that effect. The last time I stopped in a village and refilled my only water bottle was ages ago, so I’m near collapsing of dehydration when I hear the blessed rushing of water.
I keep walking and after a few minutes, a small but serendipitous stream comes into view just a few feet away from me.
I push through the thicket, barely feeling the sting of the brambles scratching my legs. The moment I reach the stream, I fall to my knees, gulping the crystal clear water greedily. The freezing water causes me to finally come to my senses, and clarity hits me like a stone to the head. I feel the burn of someone’s gaze prickling my skin and smell something sweet.
A perfume. Like honey, yet with a hint of something sharper that I can’t recall at the moment. I unsheath my knife and whirl suddenly, throwing it just a few centimeters distance away from where I assume the person is standing.
Jasmine, I think as I hear the thump of my dagger meeting tree bark, followed by a harsh gasp. “Come on, I know you’re there,” I drawl. I’m met with utter silence. “I still have more knives you know.” A girl who looks about my age sighs, pushing through the thick green copse of vines as twigs crunch beneath her feet. I survey her, able to smell the perfume more clearly now. I knew the fragrance seemed familiar. “Who are you and why have you been trailing me for three days?”
She straightens out nonexistent wrinkles in her somehow immaculate clothing and brushes a stray strand of pin-straight wood colored hair away from her face. “I’m leaving Elletra and heading for Celestis too, and I saw you go, so I followed you.” I raise a brow. “Well stop following me.” A defiant glint appears in her violet eyes, her cheeks flushing. “Look, we’re both going to the same place, so we might as well go together. There are less chances of us getting killed if one stands watch while the other sleeps.” Just as I open my mouth, she interrupts.
“Before you say no, just know that I have connections in the villages from here to Celestis, so I can get us food, clean water, and clothes that don’t smell like they’ve never been washed.”
She smirks at the look on my face, knowing she’s won. She’s fully aware that my money is running out and that I need new supplies, and she’s using it to her advantage. Damn, I loathe this girl already. She reminds me of- well, me. I glower at her, but give in. “Fine,” I mutter through gritted teeth.
“Great. I’m Kaliska by the way,” she says gleefully. “Zephyrine,” I reply flatly.
We walk throughout the evening, the sky an embodiment of an artist’s beautiful paintings with its divine reds and oranges and yellows and pinks. The sun is mesmerising, walking with us as it slowly melts into nothing, so close yet so far. When the sun departs, the moon a coruscating pearl in the boundless ocean that is the sky, a serene and quiet companion, we finally take shelter in an area encircled by gigantic trees. “I’ll take first watch,” Kaliska announces, leaving no room for any argument. I scoff incredulously. Who does she think she is?
“Do you really think I’m going to fall asleep anywhere near a person who I just met a few hours ago? I assumed you were stupid, but I didn’t know you were this stupid.” She crosses her arms defiantly. “Have you seen what you look like?”
I smile, venomously sweet. “I haven’t seen any mirrors on the tree trunks, have you?”
She rolls her eyes. “All you need to know is that you look halfway to the grave. If you don’t sleep right now, you will undoubtedly collapse of exhaustion tomorrow, and there’s no way in hell I’m carrying you all the way to Celestis.”
As much as I despise her, I know she’s right. In fact, I can barely keep my eyes open right now. So, although begrudgingly, I do end up going to sleep. But after around ten minutes, being an extremely light sleeper, I wake to shuffling sounds a few feet from me. I open my eyes to slits, only to see Kaliska ruffling through my pack. The moonlight glints on the steel of one of my daggers as she clutches it, tiptoeing over to me. She hovers over me with the blade. But right before she stabs me, I roll out of the way and get her feet out from under her.
I catch the knife as it’s flung out of her hand and throw it directly at her heart as she falls. Red cloaks my hands, my face, and pools around Kaliska’s corpse. I shouldn’t have ever trusted her. I wash my hands and face with water from her pack, saving mine for later. As I go through her pack for anything useful before I leave, I find something that stops my heart, and I just stare at it in utter silence. A crest depicting an ethereal white horse galloping through striking mountains stares back at me.
I instantly drop it as if it’s burned my hand, and stare at Kaliska’s corpse in a second of pure, unmasked horror before I start moving faster and more desperately than I was before, getting ready to leave. When my pack is ready, I sprint away from Kaliska’s body as fast as my feet will take me. I just made myself the most wanted person in Elettra.
I just killed the crown prince’s sister.
#205
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4.8 (13 )
monikawadhwa1995
Excellent
aindribasu12
A beautiful piece with wonderful imagery and emotions depicted.
jassingh100
Incredible story line. The author has an innocent yet pure drive to express mute nature.
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