Highland Bear (Book 4)

Chapter 52

AN - Back on track with my writing now, can't keep my characters silent anymore! Az x

Chapter 52

After two days of nothing but endless white, with the occasional brown of a tree trunk, there was nothing but endless boredom setting in. With her inability to hear, she knew that hers would be the worst case, for the travel meant she could not speak with anyone if she wished to know what their reply was. For they set a hard pace, all of their small party wanted, mutually to get wherever it was they were heading as soon as humanly possible. But it made for a monotonous and now painful ride. Artair still had his arm wrapped around her waist, but she had long since let go as her fingers had stiffened due to the chill. Her thick cloak no longer keeping the cold out, but rather keeping her at the same frozen temperature as everyone else.

She was too overtired to sleep, her eyes feeling like they were filled with dirt with every blink. The times they paused to rest were too short, and too uncomfortable for her to get any semblance of rest, yet the pain now settling into her sore and stiff muscles meant she could not even find it within her to rest safe in the arms of Artair. Holding her secure as the horse cantered along, showing his true worth at that moment, carrying them to safety.

Sighing, though she had no idea how loud it was, it heaved her chest. This was the part of the story the bards glossed over, the endless days spent travelling along roads, fields and non-existent paths. The pain and cramping muscles, the boredom and the hunger which gnawed at the stomach as the long periods in the saddle did not bode well for eating something which needed to be caught and cooked. Yet, in this landscape at this time of year, it was difficult to catch anything, so their dried good were the only edible food they had at the moment, except the one lone rabbit they had somehow managed to catch a day ago. This also meant that they had to carefully ration their food to make sure that it lasted for the time they would be in the wild. Nevertheless, due to the fact that they had no idea how long exactly that would be, they had to be more sparing than they normally would at the start of their journey.

The squeeze of the arm around her waist let her know that Artair had indeed heard, or at least felt, the sigh of frustration that had left her. His cool lips softly touching the shell of her ear for but a moment before he sat up once more. Letting her know that he was still fully with her, aware of everything that happened, but it did not break into the bubbling boredom which surged within her once more. The tiny break in the bubble only lasting the length of time it took Artair to focus on the white nothingness before them once more.

She knew she was being ungrateful, but part of her kept creeping back to what had happened the last time they were in a similar situation. It may have led her eventually to a marriage with a male she had only dreamed of being allowed to spend her life with. But before she got to that point, she had to practically die before she could find that happiness once more. Taking a deep breath, she whispered the words which had given her strength before, from a time when her mother had been at her worst. Having been made to memorise the majority of God's Holy words, it was times like these alone that she was glad of it. "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint..." another breath blew from her, "I wish I could take those words on board fully." Turning her head slightly to the side, she tried once more to close her eyes and try to gain some much needed sleep.

Artair caught Rohesia's fully weight as she finally allowed herself to let down her guard enough to sleep. She had not done much since she had awoke from her death like state. Whether she was worried that she may fall back into it, or whether something else bothered her he did not know, as she would not tell him, not wanting to 'add to his troubles'. At least he could breathe a sigh of relief now that she was at least resting somewhat. Blinking his gritty eyes, he pulled back on the reigns slightly, telling his highly strung ride to pull back a little to a panting walk, not wanting to push him too far, as there was still a large distance to traverse.