Embers of Frost

Chapter 11 - Dusk

"Alright, then! We're going to be hunting today, albeit without horses. The entire woods can be traversed within a single day on foot itself, so let us enjoy this day. Does everyone have their hunting equipment ready?" Charles asked, looking around at the small band of people gathered around him. "Marion?"

"Yes, master," Marion said, holding aloft a single dagger.

Dusk glanced at Marion from the corner of his eye, surprised to see her looking paler than usual. Her eyes were wide, fingers fidgeting behind her back. If his guess wasn't wrong, she looked... frightened. Did Charles just mention her name? He has been slyly avoiding Geoff's questions about anything related to her since we started: her powers, past, name and so forth. Why mention it all of a sudden?

"Good," he said, a strange hardness in his tone. Without taking his eyes off the girl, he addressed Dusk. "And what about you, Dusk?"

Dusk suddenly felt his limbs slacken, the exhaustion of the previous night taking over his body. Dark bags hung under his eyes as he struggled to keep his eyes open. On the way back to the campsite from the reservoir last night, he had lost his way in the woods. All the trees looked the same to him, the path never changing. He had walked round and round in circles and when he finally found his way back to the campsite, the sun had already begun its lazy ascent to its rightful place on the throne.

If luck had been in his favor, it would have granted him at least a meagre hour of sleep before it was time to set out again. But it was not to be. His oath to Marion and the incredulity of how similar they were had dominated his mind, refusing to let him sleep. He knew there was something familiar about her but he could have never guessed that she was supposed to take the throne initially.

"I believe I asked you something, Dusk," he heard Charles drawl again, glaring at Dusk. "Are you, or are you not, ready?"

"I'm ready," Dusk murmured, rubbing the fuzz from his eyes. He patted the sword on his hip reassuringly.

"As for you, Geoff... Would you stop drowsing off already?" Charles yelled, Dusk jumping at the sudden intensity of his voice. He turned to his right and sighed. Geoffrey had his head lowered, eyes closed as he swayed back and forth unconsciously.

He started leaning forward again and would've certainly fallen this time, if Dusk hadn't quickly reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders, wringing him awake. "Wake up, Geoff!" he whispered.

"Huh?" Geoffrey said sleepily, looking around himself with half-opened eyes. "Since when did Corvale get surrounded by so many trees? Where did all those bright houses go?" His sleepy tone suddenly disappeared as he gasped, staring at Dusk with wide hazel eyes. He gripped Dusk's shoulders tightly. "We've been taken hostage by rogue bandits, right? And now they're going to demand some huge ransom from the king for your life, am I correct? I knew I shouldn't have followed that strange girl last night! She looked like one of those bewitchers but oh, I couldn't resist against her startling beauty. Now look where that's brought us!"

Dusk rolled his eyes and tried wriggling out of Geoffrey's grip, but that only made the latter tighten his hold, Dusk resisting the urge to groan. I forgot that his waking up is worse than him sleeping. No one other than Geoff can be this disconnected from the real world after only a night's sleep. He sure is talented. "Remember last night?" he croaked. "We're still on the way to Eldatrion and no one's demanding any ransom from the king. You're deluded... as always."

Geoffrey blinked at him and turned his gaze over to Charles, whose face was now bright red, mouth set in a thin line. He saw his friend gulp at the sight before he finally glanced over at a blank-faced Marion, comprehension finally dawning in his eyes. He released Dusk and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "That must have been embarrassing," he muttered, giggling nervously.