2024 Story Collection

The Marked III

River, that was her name. It suited her. He thought. She moved like water. She was like a powerful force that could carve the land to her will. She was overwhelming in beauty, ability and strength, yet also peaceful, calm and patient. She was quick when necessary, but slow when not. She moved at her own flow. She was a warrior, but also could very well be an elder.

It was new to him. To meet someone that functioned so well with such a dichotomy. It intrigued him.

He found himself watching her, often wondering what she thought about during the ride. Did she think at all? Was her mind so full of information about everything that her own thoughts got lost? Was it like a well-organized saddlebag? Was it like his saddlebag: a mess that only he could decipher?

He looked at the woman before him as she jumped from her horse. She sinks into the soft soil. She had done this multiple times during their journey. She'd stand there with her eyes closed and listened. To what he did not know. All he knew was that when her eyes suddenly snapped open, it was time to move.

She hopped back on her horse, leading them in a new direction. He didn't question it because each time she'd led them to a small group of monsters that had separated to get a snack at a local village.

She spoke little as they rode. Not that he minded. He always found it annoying when the other warriors would talk the whole journey. He liked the peace. He wasn't a very social person, anyway.

Now, she puts her hand out, a signal for him to stop. He does so, and waits. A moment after, she signals again and they jump from their horses. He readies his weapons as they walk silently through the forest.

She unsheathed her long wavy swords from her back and steps out from around a tree. He follows axes in hand.

He realizes then that he recognized where they were. It was near an old settlement populated completely by the clan's elderly.

"This settlement is filled with elderly," he whispers. "We will not have any help." She nods as they make their way to the edge of the settlement.

He wonders for a second if there are any monsters at all, if for once she'd been wrong, but just then a screech come out from behind them. She jumps, quickly taking the beast's heart.

"Make the fire," she tells him. "I can handle the perimeter. There are at least 10 more coming."

He nods before dashing into the center of the settlement and quickly grabs the emergency stack of wood, building up the stack and lighting it ablaze. He turns back after he's sure it will burn well and heads to the opposite side of the settlement.

Slowly, over the next hour, a dozen more monsters come and are cut down. Their hearts burned.

River meets him at the fire, dumping in more hearts. "That was all of them. We need to head out soon. The main hoard is making quick progress to the main settlement."

He nods. He finally stopped trying to figure out how she knew all this. He had a feeling it was not going to be a problem he could solve. So for now, he would focus on the problem he could.

"Cedar, is that you?" an elderly woman calls out, peaking her head out from the entrance of a small hut.

He turns to look at the woman and smiles, "Sasha," he speaks warmly. "How have you been?"

"I've been just fine," she tells him as she steps out, walking up to the younger man. She seems to notice the fire then. "Have they made it this far in?"

"A hoard has breached the border in the east." He says. "We are trying to catch up to them before they get to the main village."

"Be careful," she reaches out and holds his hand. "Keep your parents in your heart and you will succeed." She lets go of his hand and turns to go back in, but River was standing in the way.

"You have killed many. Why don't you have any marks?" She asks, almost looking as if she was in a daze, as if it wasn't fully her asking.

Sasha's eyes widen as she looks at the younger woman standing before her. "I don't know what-"

"I can see it," she speaks.

"Let her go back to sleep," Cedar says, placing a hand on River's shoulder. She looks up at him and seems to recognize him.

"I apologize," she finally snaps out of the trance and moves to the side to let the woman pass. Sasha hurries back inside her hut without another word.

"What was that?" Cedar asks.

"I don't know." He can tell she's telling the truth. Maybe all this was as confusing to her as it was to him.

"Your an Elder," he says.

"I'm too young. I don't have the experiences to be-" She begins to explain, but he cuts her off.

"Those marks on your back tell a different story." She turns to look at him. "I noticed them when you applied the salve to your shoulder."

"I'm not proud of them," she turns away from him, calling her horse.

"You have the experience. You have the gifts. You are an Elder."

"I don't want to be." She turns back to him for a moment before mounting her horse.

He calls out for his own.

"I do not care for my marks, either. Unlike others, I don't feel pride, I feel sadness. They do not remind me only of the loss I've had in my life at the hands of these beasts."

He mounts his horse in the silence that follows.

"I'm sorry about your parents," she says as she takes off.

She knows. How does she know? He rides after her.

To be continued...

January 12, 2024