Golden Threads

The Forest

We started out on the road as the sun was just starting to show its face behind the tall pine trees planted on the roadside. The day was going to be warm, I could smell it. As the sun rose I had my first chance to actually look at Sebastian's face properly. Dark hair fell over a wide forehead, just brushing his eyebrows, and hazel eyes that blended in with the trunks of the trees that we passed. He had a wide mouth that smiled easily. He looked like a puppy. I was so busy scrutinizing his face that I didn't notice a huge pothole in the middle of the road and soon had wet boots to pay for it. I heard a chuckle from behind me. "Getting cold feet this early in our journey huh?" I shook the worst of the puddle off my shoes and carried on stomping ahead. "Not much of a talker, are you?" I whirled around.

"Well someone has to do the thinking for both of us since it clearly isn't going to be you."

"Oooo feisty."

"I don't need you, but you clearly need me. If I weren't here then you would get caught and hauled back to the house in a day. Tops."

"Oh I'm not here because I need you, I'm just here for the ravishing company." He raised his eyebrows. I suppose I was being a bit harsh.

"Okay fine, I'm a bit jumpy today. Sorry. Let's just say I don't fancy the idea of going back to that hideous wedding dress."

"That bad, huh?"

"Worse."

He looked up at the sky. "Well, then we better get moving again."

We stopped for late lunch at a small stream next to a bridge. We'd had to travel fast to avoid my father's men catching up and had taken small paths just off the main road. They were traveled less and so we were, therefore, less likely to be spotted. I filled up my water bottle which was already empty by that stage and Sebastian flopped down on the river bank. The day was hot and we had been walking for a long time. He dunked his whole head underwater to cool himself off while I lay my damp socks out in the sun to dry. I heard the sound of horses on the road and, expecting it to be some traveling merchant or something, you can imagine my surprise when I recognized my father's emblem. I pulled Sebastian under the bridge just in time. "Hey! No need to be rough." I shushed him. We heard the gravelly sound of men's voices above us. "They can't have gotten far. Let's keep looking." There was a murmur of agreement from the other men and the sound of horses hooves dissolved into the humid air. That was close. Too close. "We need to be more careful from now on."

"You're telling me." He shook his head like a dog and water droplets went flying everywhere. "Maybe we should lay low here for a bit." It wasn't a bad idea. I grudgingly agreed and fetched our stuff out of the sun. Using my bag as a pillow, I lay down in the rocky shade and closed my eyes. It seemed an eternity before I opened them again. When I did, it was dark and Sebastian was gone. His stuff was still there, so I assumed he just went to the bathroom or something. When a few more minutes went by without any sign of return I started to get worried. We had to get moving before dawn and I had no idea what time it was. I picked up my bow and decided to go looking for him. 

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I left the river and tracked his footprints into the Forest, the ground was damp with humidity so it was easy to follow his trail. The Forest was beautiful at night. The starry sky twinkled in between the tops of the trees and every now and then you could hear a wild birds call in the distance. I was careful to make note of the tree patterns and small landmarks to make sure I knew the way back out. Those three pines in the shape of a triangle. That bush with red leaves. Ever since I was a little girl, Grace used to tell stories of strange magic folk who lived deep within the forest and would prey upon unsuspecting travelers. Living on the Edge, our family was always very careful not to go further than necessary into the trees as there were still rumours of ruffians and bandits who roamed the Forest. Even during broad daylight, it could become as dark as night. Leaves and twigs crackled underfoot as I made my way through the trees, the undergrowth getting thicker and thicker as I went further into the Forest.