Will Of The Fates

5.

The next day of travel was longer. We started at the crack of dawn, most of them barely awake as we set out for the village once more.

I was wider awake than usual. Kieran and I woke at the same time. He agreed to accompany me into the forest because Liru wouldn't wake. And then he didn't hesitate to remind me of last night's events. We were gone longer than we should have been. Luckily, only Urun and the village chief were awake when we returned. The latter had kept night watch.

Kieran kept pace beside me the entire day. Unfortunately, that meant so did Liru. She was a lot more talkative than yesterday. Garmin was clearly used to this. Urun and Yorja stayed ahead of us to avoid it. I would have joined them... However, with a knife in my hand as I continued to carve, I couldn't guarantee Yorja's safety.

I'd discarded the chainmail for the day. I couldn't handle it alongside the heat. It meant with that extra tie by my neck undone, more of my skin was visible than metal. Disgusted shudders ran down my body every time I looked up and found Yorja's eyes on me. The knife in my hand didn't seem to deter him. Kieran's form as he purposefully moved his horse ahead of me finally did. He did it as a way to get away from Liru. It didn't work.

"... and when she had a baby, she changed so much. Got a lot less fun to be around." Liru went on and on. "She was no longer fun, barely left the house. That's when I decided I probably won't have a kid." She looked at Kieran. "Unless their father's handsome."

I can stab myself in the ear with this wood knife. It has to be less painful than this.

"Our— I mean, any kids I have with a handsome father would be so beautiful. My eyes, his hair. Maybe his height too. Gorgeous little girl, handsome men that look like the two of us."

Kieran moved again, this time to right beside me. I looked up at him, he met my eyes with the hopes of a rescue. He'd reached his limit.

"Hey, Liru." I called out easily as I continued to carve away. "What flower do you like?"

"Flower?" She looked down at my hand and her face lit up. Her horse moved beside me instead of Kieran. "I like all flowers! Especially really bright ones that smell nice."

I gave her a dry look. "Can you give me a name? Maybe a description?" I held up the piece of wood. "I can decide where to take this yet."

"Ooh, could you make one with a bunch of tiny petals?"

"As in? Can you draw it out for me?"

She nodded and eagerly reached for her pack. I waited patiently as she scribbled out something with charcoal, and I asked her to redraw over and over from different angles. For accuracy, of course. She was invested in the work. It gave us all the sweet sound of silence.

We stopped for lunch. I let Ahrea roam free as I walked into the forest with Liru. When I returned, the men had already tucked into bread and meat once more. I took my share and ate it hurriedly before I moved back to my mare. She turned to me with interest as I pulled out a brush and her grooming comb. I'd meant to get around to it earlier, but we'd bumped into Kieran.

I untangled her mane slowly in the shade. Footsteps moved past me as Kieran walked to his own horse. He held out some bread and cheese as he paused by me. "You didn't eat much."

"I'm not hungry."

"It's good cheese." He insisted as he stood behind me, already aware of Ahrea. "It's from their village. The chief said this is your portion."

I turned to look at the cheese in his hand. It had specks of blue in it. "What... Is that fruit?"

He nodded. "Called it a 'dessert cheese'."