The Trials of Sybil

Chapter Two

Sybil

I've lost track of time as the familiar landmarks of my family's land disappear. I remember as a young child exploring the maps in my father's study, the details of the memory now little more than blurry images. I wanted adventure, wished to be whisked away to another land, and have purpose. After my parents' passing, my life became an endless repetition of reading, sleeping, and working to keep a roof over my head and enough food for Lemon and I.

Now look where all that wishing got me.

Rolling my neck, I feel the tension pulling at the base of my skull from sitting in the same position for hours on the horse's back. The sky is obscured by a thick canopy of leaves, which makes it difficult for the silvery moonlight to cut through. The trees become a blur as we continue in silence. Exhaustion clings to the edge of my consciousness as I try to maintain a mental map of our location, but without the stars and moon to guide me, my sense of direction is off. I'm unsettled with the loss of what I know of my surroundings. I know we started heading north, but now the surrounding forest looks all the same, and it's not my forest.

Dendrology and botany, two things that would come in handy right now if only they had lived long enough to teach me.

Bitter thoughts circle my mind as I observe my surroundings in the hazy darkness. The towering trees with overarching branches tangling above us seem to be mostly of two species: one with captivating, long sweeping branches of narrow lance-shaped green leaves, which I recognize to be a willow tree. The other, with a broad palmately lobed leaf. Without the knowledge of the trees surrounding me, I feel the inadequacies of my education. If I could tell where I was, I could escape and find my way back.

"Where are we?" I ask, twisting around in his grip. "Why have you taken me? What does Shadowvale want with me?" I purse my lips together, glaring at any of my capters who deem to glance my way. I am not going to let them take me so easily. They have to at least tell me why I am in this situation.

"It is no concern of yours, but we are almost to the clearing where we will let the horses rest." Aramis replies curtly.

"That does not answer my question of where we are and why I'm in this situation." I repeat through clenched teeth. I'm beginning to feel light headed from our jarring journey without a break.

He ignores my inquiry. Frustration rises in me at his dismissal.

"Well if you aren't going to tell me where we are at, will there at least be food and water?" My stomach rumbles, emphasizing my question.

"If you can't be quiet for five more minutes, you're going to find yourself gagged and trussed over the back of my stallion until we get there." Aramis replies impatiently.

I press my lips together, clenching my teeth. Gag and truss me over the back of his stallion like a pack? I'd like to see him try. He wants silence, see how he likes it when he wants answers from me. I clench my hands into fists and close my eyes pacing my breathing.

As we approach a clearing, Aramis whistles, his horse slow to a walk as we break through the last of the trees into the opening. He dismounts and begins unloading supplies from his saddle, as do the other six riders around us. I look towards the ground from where I sit on the horse's back, but for some reason, it feels miles away.

My vision blurs at the edges as I look around the clearing, and notice a small shining pool of water. I lick my lips. They are dry and cracking from the icy wind tearing at my face. I feel the world turning sideways and as the ground rushes to greet me. I feel the soft padding of the earth support me before the world turns black.