Bow and Sparrow

CH 40

We left shortly after, not even waiting for the sun to rise. We were all eager to put the inn behind us. The innkeeper was fine, but she still refused to apologize for her mistake. She disappeared while we made preparations to leave.

"Are you alright?" Rylan waited on me as I gathered my things. It didn't take long as I only had the one bag. I looked inside. The remaining cakes were now crushed from where the innkeeper fell on them.

"I should be asking you that." My eyes lingered on his face, on the bruise that had started to form under his eye. He closed the distance and grabbed my hand in his, bringing it up to caress his cheek.

"I feel much better now." He leaned into my palm. There was a good amount of stubble flowering across his jawline now after several days of traveling through the woods. It suited him and I was in no hurry to see him shave it off.

The truth was the whole ordeal still bothered me. The last few months I was nothing but pushed around. My entire life really was just being told what I should do and who I should be. The slavers, King Tano, the innkeeper, and even my father to an extent. Everyone had their own agendas and I was just a part of them. I never want to be in that position again.

Rylan gave my hand a comforting squeeze as if he could hear my thoughts and we joined the others waiting downstairs.

What would have taken us another week of traveling through the forest, took us only three days of traveling the main roads, something we would have avoided if not for the search party escorting us. I had grown distrustful of even my own people thanks to the innkeeper.

The searchers kept their distance from Rylan and the others, only addressing me and only if they needed to. Only the leader, Jasper was his name, was friendly enough to hold a conversation though he still seemed nervous.

"You're not from Dast, are you?" I asked one evening when we stopped for camp in a clearing off the main road.

Jasper shook his head. "I live in Midhurst. Your father hired many men to help search for you."

Midhurst wasn't that close to Dast. I wondered just how many men my father hired if he sought help from far away cities. Knowing him, he would spare no expense in the search. But how would he have known where to look?

"How long have you been out here?"

"Maybe a month now." Jasper shrugged, blowing a puff of air from his nose.

"Thank you, Jasper. I'll make sure you and your men are handsomely rewarded when we get back to Dast." We fell into silence as I watched Jasper expertly hammer the stakes of his tent into the ground. They mainly camped out in the woods, faster and less hassle than finding a place of lodging.

"How'd you end up with that lot?" Jasper's eyes cut to Rylan and the others who had started a separate fire not too far away from the searchers.

"It's a long story..." I trailed off, staring into the small flames that danced across the firewood. "They saved my life, more than once. They're good people."

Some of the tension eased from Jasper's face when he glanced over. He nodded once then walked over to his companions gathered around their own fire.

I sat down close to Rylan on the stump of a long-forgotten tree, the heat of the flames warming my face. My fingertips brushed against the soft moss that clung desperately to the remains of the tree.

"What did he want?" Rylan cast a sideways glance at Jasper who was deep in conversation.

"Nothing. We're almost there."

_____

And a day later we were.

Dast appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. Like a mirage in the desert, it was almost too good to be true. We emerged from the forest on the southern part of town near the wheat fields. There were a few farmers tending to their crops -it was only mid-afternoon- and when they caught sight of our group, they stopped what they were doing and stared, their harvesting baskets lay forgotten on the ground next to them.

I stepped up next to Jasper, who seemed unsure of what to do now that we had made it. "Thank you, Jasper. I've got it from here. If you'll wait in town, I'll have my father send someone for you. "

"Yes, m'lady." He bowed his head and gestured for the other to follow him. I waited until they were just specks in the distance before I led the others towards the house on the hill.

I hadn't allowed myself to look upon my home for worry that if I did, it would dissipate into nothing and this would all have been but a dream and I would wake up still trapped in the tower at Mortham Keep. But I did now and I was undeniably and truly awake.

The house was still as if life itself had abandoned it. Maybe it had always looked that way and I had never noticed until now. I hadn't even realized that my memory had grown fuzzy until I looked at the clear sight in front of me. All except one window that flickered with light.

I forced down the knot forming in my throat as emotion swelled through me just at the sight and turned to Rylan. "Wait here."

Before any of them had the chance to respond, I took off at a brisk walk up the familiar path to the top of the hill. I was finally home.

A/N

Nori finally made it home! But will it be the same as she left it?

Kind of a short chapter but the next chapter should be ready in the next few days so keep an eye out for it.

Happy Readings,

T