The Last Healer

Chapter 21 Ariella

Chapter 21 Ariella

            Why did I run like that? I swallowed nervously as I studied my surroundings in attempts to gather my bearings. There were very few people around; they were dressed in the same bland colors as Alexander. Some of them, most of them, had a sword strapped around their waist. A couple women had whips tied on their sides and a few men had a quiver and a bow strapped onto their backs.

I was lost. Again. A group of gossiping ladies walked towards me and my eyes wandered to the baskets in their hands. They were full of fruits and vegetables. Maybe that's where I have to go. I thought as my eyes followed the road where the women came from.

"You're headed the wrong way, Ariella." A male's voice sounded behind me. I whipped around, but no one was there. My head swished from side to side, my hair flying around as I tried to find who it was that talked. "On the roof!" The voice laughed. My head shot up and my eyes made contact with his.

The thin boy was kneeling on the roof, his head titled slightly as he looked down at me. His blond hair was windblown and a small twig was stuck into his hair. He kicked off the roof, landing next to me with a small thump, and a cocky grin on his face.

"W-who are you?"

"Nicoli Leap." His hand latched around my wrist and he pulled it to his mouth, pressing his lips slightly against it. "I figured I could help you get to where you were going."

"N-no. I-I'm fine." My cheeks were burning and I gently tugged my hand from his.

"But you're lost." He stated. "It's written all over your face. You have no idea where you're going." His grin grew as my cheeks grew hotter.

My mouth flapped up and down as I tried to talk, but no words would come. He rolled his eyes after a moment.

"Look, let me take you to the town square, alright?" He offered, his hand outstretched for me to grab.

"I-I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why? Don't think people do things without wanting something in return?"

That wasn't it. I knew it wasn't. Something about this guy just seemed off. How did he know my name? How did he find me? Who was he? Those were the questions I really wanted to know.

"Tell you what, if you want to do something for me, you can go back and talk to Alex tomorrow." Nicoli sniggered as he leaned against the building next to him.

"Alex?" I stared at him in confusion, wondering who he meant. Then I realized. "You mean Alexander?"

"Obviously." Nicoli chuckled. He stepped forward, his arm slipped around my shoulders. "So, how's that for a deal? I take you to the town square and you have to go see Alex tomorrow?"

"I-I don't know how to get back there."

"Oh, that's easy." His hand dived into his shirt and fished around for a moment before pulling out a thick piece of parchment. "A state of the art Tracker map, drawn by me." He bowed his head slightly. "It has every road, house, and field that is in the walls. Took me five years to get this map to perfection."

"So why give it away?" I muttered.

"Well, we can't have a young lady getting lost, now can we?" His hand tapped my cheek lightly before releasing me. He opened the map and held it for me to see. The map was huge and filled with lines for the buildings and fields all within a giant rectangular wall. There were huge empty spaces on the right, left, and bottom while the top entrance was by building like drawings. The town square was in the middle of the buildings and the castle was closer to the top. His thumb landed on a spot on the right side of the map. "Now, this is the garden you want to get to. If you walk past the seamstresses and keep walking until you hit the blacksmith's, you want to take a left there and then you'll find the garden on your right a few more steps down."

"I-I took more turns."

"Yes, but you were lost." He shrugged as he folded up the map and plopped it in the basket. "Now, since you know where you have to go and you have a map so you can't get lost again, hopefully, now will you let me escort you to the town square?"

"I-I guess." I swallowed nervously when he nodded, his hand latched onto mine, and led me back the way I came. "May I ask you something?" My voice squeaked slightly and I shook my head, attempting to ignore the fear bubbling inside of me.

"And that would be?"

"Why do you want me to see Alex?"

"Other than he made himself look like a complete idiot?" Nicoli glanced back at me, a knowing kind of grin playing on his lips. "I know Alex most likely creeped you out and I know he'll be awkward for a little while, but you should give him a chance."

"A chance for what?" I asked, my hand tightened around the basket, the sense of fear and confusion was almost unbearable. It took every sense of will to not take my hand back and try to run. The only reason I didn't was because he really was my only way to get to somewhere that I know.

"Friendship?" Nicoli shrugged. "What happens between the two of you is up to you two, I just don't want you avoiding him because he decided to be an idiot on your first meeting."

"Why does it concern you?"

"He's my friend." He stated and took a left into a deserted street. "Stay close, this is the fastest way to get to the town square, but definitely not a place you want to take a lady."

"Why?" I asked. The street was deserted, but had an unclean feel to it, worse than the abandoned part that I found. The glass was broken, dried blood stained the walls and shards of glass, and ratted out pillows lined the walls.

"Let's just say that some not so good people stay here." Nicoli grumbled and pulled me forward. "Never come here alone, especially if you don't carry a weapon."

"Would the people here hurt me?"

"They'd hurt anyone if they feel threatened."

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Runaway teens mostly. Or orphans who disappeared from the orphanage." Nicoli shrugged. "They won't accept help and, if they're forced, they fight back. One of them even stabbed a Protector for getting to close."

"So they live here?"

"Yea." He shrugged. "They survive on their own and we leave them alone, generally."

"Oh."

"Whelp, here we are." Nicoli announced as we came to a street filled with people in colorful clothing, people dressed similar to me. "Now, the town square is just a little further, but-"

"There's the Tower!" I exclaimed as I saw the familiar building further down the street.

"So you think you can find your way from here?" He nodded in response to mine and patted my shoulder slightly. "Well then, my lady, I was glad to be of service. Just remember, Alex." He bowed slightly, tapping his forehead slightly, before whipping around and dashing off, leaving me to stare after him in confusion.