From Embers

7 - Can We Eat Her?

A twig snapped. Jai-Jai's eyes shot open as claws hung overheard, poised and ready to attack. Instinctively, her hand shot up and grabbed the wrist of her assailant, flipping them onto the ground. One knee dug into their stomach and the other near their groin. Her other hand clutching the knife tucked into her belt.

"Can you get off?" Sen wheezed as Jai-Jai pushed her knees in a little deeper. "Please?"

Jai-Jai narrowed her eyes. "Only the lowest of the low attack people in their sleep. At least have the decency to look me in the eye before you murder me."

"This is all a misunderstanding. If you get off," he retracted his claws, "I'll explain."

Jai-Jai would have enjoyed watching him in pain, but her nerves were shot and she felt impossibly hot. Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm. She chanted in her head. Slowly, she shifted her weight, sliding off of Sen.

His hands rubbed his stomach and whispered, "So violent." Looking Jai-Jai in the eye, Sen said, "There was a badger."

"A badger?"

"A badger," Sen confirmed.

"You woke me up for a silly badger?"

Sen nodded.

Stay calm, stay calm. "Pray tell, why you thought it was a good idea to attack it near my head?"

"Why am I being interrogated here? I saw an animal crawling around you and tried to shoo if off, but obviously it didn't work out." Sen sulked away.

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep, Jai-Jai rolled her sleeping bag and the group made an early start on the last leg of their journey.

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The looming castle walls surrounding Tanvell overshadowed the incoming travelers. Gazing up at the stone walls they each thought their own dark thoughts.

A canopy of wisteria flowers grew up the castle walls, giving its viewers a false sense of calm before spotting the dozens of armed guards standing atop. All weapons pointed towards anyone who approached.

Dark clouds hovered above them, threatening to spill over any minute and drench any without shelter.

Mara and her grandfather rolled their eyes at each other as they trotted steadily towards the front gates, both wanting to be inside before the rain started to pour. Slowing them down, however, were the usual two suspects. Behind them, Sen could be heard getting increasingly irked at his traveling companion. Mara twisted herself in the saddle to get a better look at the two.

"Please get back on the horse," Sen begged.

Crossing her arms, Jai-Jai stubbornly continued to walk next to the steed, giving the beast wary glances if it got too close. Jai-Jai's shoes made squishing sounds as she shuffled, mud clinging to the bottom of her loose trousers.

"Don't act like a child. I didn't mean it," he said.

There was no answer from the gardener. Mara rolled her eyes.

"We're almost to Tanvell, get back on and you can ignore me when we get there."

Jai-Jai gave him a look of disdain as Mara called back, "Uncle Sen, you tried to claw her in her sleep. I wouldn't want to ride with you either."

"It was an accident. A badger was crawling next to her. She just woke up at the wrong time." Sen threw his hands up in frustration.

"Did you apologize?"