Sunlight (On Hold)

Chapter 9: It's Just How We Are

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Blythe
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I pulled out the map as we set up camp for the day.
Traveling by night instead of day definitely fucked up my sleeping schedule.
Given, I would nap every now and again as Bular lifted me onto his back.
We were faster when we traveled like that anyway, since he could travel at his full speed rather than mine.
"Every morning, you check that map. We're not much closer than before." He muttered, causing me to raise a brow.
"We are, actually. Either you don't realize how close we've been to it along side your speed, or you're tricking yourself into believing we have at least a week before we reach Arcadia." I responded with.
He stayed silent, so I continued.
"We should be there by the end of the tomorrow night." I stated simply, folding up the map and putting it away.
"After this, I will not be staying." Bular suddenly stated, causing me to turn to him and raise a brow.
"Of course not, we could go anywhere." I stated, offering a smile.
"I will not be staying with you." He then reiterated.
My smile dropped, turning into a frown.
Xena cawed and I turned my attention to her.
"You can go wherever you want, Bular. I don't expect you to stay with me." I stated, though he only growled.
"I am not your friend anymore." He snapped, getting on all fours.
He towered over me, his red gaze narrowed.
"But we are friends. Maybe not as close as before--definitely not as close-- but we still are." I spoke, meeting his gaze briefly as I fed Xena her portion.
"Then you are delirious." He snarled, baring his teeth at me.
I stood, still nowhere near as tall as Bular.
"No one is keeping you here. If you really wanted to, you could just leave." I stated, crossing my arms.
He stared at me, his gaze no longer a glare, but rather a look of disappointment and irritation.
"I owe you for saving my life." He growled.
"What life, Bular?" I asked, bringing his gaze to the ground.
"Your life is gone, Bular. You aren't taking steps in either direction, you're just existing. I didn't save anything." I stated, turning away from him.
Silence settled in after those words were said aloud.
We both knew it was true.
I shouldn't have brought him back, and we both knew it.
"After we get to Arcadia, and we clear my name, I will leave." He stated simply.
I could only scoff.
"And what are you going to do? Live out the rest of your days alone, traveling the world, eventually getting caught?" I questioned, looking over my shoulder at him.
"I will not fight my father." He growled.
"And why not? Obviously, he doesn't care about you." I pointed out.
"Your father is no better." He suddenly roared, slamming his fists into the ground.
"His little whelp can't perform true magic, so he acts as though you don't exist." He then taunted.
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I clenched my fists.
"Like you're everything your father wanted. That's why he had you brainwashed, right?" I spat in retort.
We both glared at one another.
Bular then huffed, turning away and laying down under the small shelter to keep the sunlight off him.
I turned my back on him as well, sitting down on the grass once again.
Our words cut deep, I knew that.
So did he.
Yet neither of us were going to back down.
As much as I wanted to apologize, I couldn't give in to Bular.
If I did, then he wouldn't learn from his mistakes, wouldn't apologize for them or try to make it better.
I could hear him shift behind me.
Though I didn't dare look over at him.
He shifted again, grunting before sitting up and huffing.
"Blythe." He grunted at me.
I didn't respond, pushing the coals of the fire with my stick.
Xena cawed once more before flying into the branches of the tree.
"Blythe." He grunted again.
I glanced at him briefly before looking back to the fire.
He chuffed, annoyance clear in his tone as he muttered under his breath.
I couldn't understand a word of it, as I never learned trollish.
"I... Apologize." He then spoke.
I turned to him, narrowing my gaze.
In all the time I've known him, he never once apologized.
Obviously, with his pride, it would be hard for him to.
I took in a breath, looking back to the fire.
"I'm sorry, too." I stated.
He chuffed again, silence settling in for the time being.
"You are... Still angry at me." He pointed out.
"More so angry that you were right. Not about the 'true magic', but about my father. Guess we both got the short end of the stick when it comes to fathers." I replied, a dry laugh leaving my lips.
"Show me some magic then." Bular stated, a slight laugh to his tone.
I smiled softly.
"Okay, I've been working on this... So don't laugh if it doesn't work." I began.
He only raised a brow, waiting patiently.
I took in a deep breath and held it, my body disappearing from the naked eye.
Bular's eyes widened and he began looking around, barely able to move too much because of the sun peeking through the leaves.
I slowly stood from my seat, moving across the clearing as silently as I could before releasing the breath.
I took in deep gulps of air, offering Bular a victorious smile.
"It only works when I hold my breath." I laughed out.
"I bet your father wouldn't be able to do that." He stated.
Pride swelled within me and I smiled fully at him.