The Heir (Heirs Trilogy 1) (On Hold)

Chapter 5. The Lake of Dorkfume

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Tyrill lends Aerona a fresh loaf of bread for lunch which she gladly accepted. She hadn't had her breakfast properly that morning and she felt quite a weariness.

The heat blazed like fire on her and she felt hard to breathe.

'Where we off to?' asked Aerona.

'To my kingdom' replied Tyrill and continued on the road.

The silence and the clip-clop sounds of the horse's hoofs starting to annoy Aerona. She grumbled  'And how do we get there?'.

'By my horse-' he began when Aerona stomped her foot, frightening both Tyrill and the horses, 'What is the matter with you?' roared Tyrill. She huffed and said 'I want to know exactly how we would be reaching there'.

Tyrill slowed his horses and looked behind him at a fuming Aerona.

'We would be taking a road beside the Lake of Dorkfume' replied Tyrill.

Remembering the stories told by her adoptive mother, she said 'The Lake of Dorkfume? Like the lake where many people committed to cessation...by the trance of mermaids?' asked Aerona and she got a nod in response.

Aerona laid back and thought fervently. And the sudden blowing of the wind startling her from her thoughts.

'This is suicide...' she said and the horses neighed in agreement.

'I ride by the lake quite often and no mermaids harmed me though' Tyrill replied turning a quick left and Aerona held onto the tightened packages for support.

'And I suppose they won't hurt me...?' she doubtfully applied to the latter. 'Supposedly...maybe or not at all. Mermaids are unpredictable truthfully' said Tyrill.

The burning curiosity raised its heads in Aerona. 'What do you know about mermaids Tyrill?' she raised her inquiry.

The momentary silence from Tyrill made her think the question was unnecessary for her to raise so she pumped down her enthusiasm. 'Mermaids...' murmured Tyrill causing Aerona to jump up.

'Mermaids..?' asked Aerona.

'Mermaids are odd folks. They like to keep to themselves except when they get hungry, they pursue to the land' said Tyrill.

'Wouldn't that suffocate them?' asked Aerona. 'Truly it would my lady but they transform themselves to humans and catch themselves some prey. Which humans would call suicide' he replied and continued, 'Truly odd folks'.

Aerona never saw a real mermaid except in children books illustrations. Beautiful, elegant and all a girl's dream come true. But after knowing that few facts made her feel otherwise.

The day was darkening. A drizzle started and continued to a downpour. The inside of the small carriage began to get wet but Tyrill implied that they won't be able to halt here as this territory was infested with dark magic and unsafe.

Aerona pitied the horses as they kept on the muddy road but got encouraged when Tyrill noted to her that the Elvish bred horses are quite adept at walking down extreme terrains.

The water started to leak from the carriage boards, soaking Aerona's frock.

Tyrill apologized fervently to the lady. But she waved it off as she knew Tyrill himself was in a more dire state. His long glossy dark hair dripping wet and sticking to his elven wear and forehead.

'I believe we need to find cover' said Aerona lightly.

'Yes but nowhere is safe' he said pointing at the wide cracks on the barren ground now muddy, which formed green smoke.