Three

Three

 

            She was alive. It had been eight months since she had last seen Rahm..At this point, Rahm was a distant memory that she tried to keep tucked away as far back as she could in her mind. She watched the bartender wipe down the counters with a damp rag as the sound of fiddles, drums and off key singing resonated in the air around her. The Underground was the only home she had left now, and she was certainly grateful that its owner was willing to give her room and board in exchange for her unique services. She wrapped her fingers around her beer mug and sighed as she scanned the room. It was dimly lit, housing several weathered tables paired with benches placed around the bar. Patrons were loud and boisterous, intoxication taking hold.

            She turned her head to see the bartender looking at her with his steely gray eyes, sealed envelope in hand. She looked down as he discreetly slid the envelope across the bar to her, nodding as she took it and slid it into an inside pocket of her mahogany colored trench coat. As she stood up to take her leave, she noticed a burly, rough looking man in the far corner watching her with his dark eyes. His wiry beard took up the bottom half of his face, weaved into a braid that ended at his chest. She returned the look, her eyes cold and calculating. He did not look away. With haste, Tandine left the Underground, the heavy wooden doors closing with a groan behind her.

            Keeping a brisk pace, she reached into her coat pocket and procured the envelope, her leather boots making soft padding sounds on the stone slabs of the street. Her eyes scanned the page and made note of the name on the parchment.

            Markus Palla.

            She re read it three more times before the name set in.

No, Markus. No, no, no. What have you done?

~*~

            Within the cover of darkness, she watched Markus from a safe distance. He crouched at the edge of the quietly moving water of Willow’s Creek. His back was turned to her but she knew it was him. The Clan tattoo on his right shoulder was a reminder of what they had both lost. A familiar pressure tugged at her heart, leaving her conflicted. She kept her eyes on her former guild mate while still observing her surroundings.

The Willow’s Creek was truly a beautiful place to behold. An emerald green body of water with hints of sapphire was surrounded by ancient willows and rock formations carpeted by dark green moss. Underneath the calm water was a blanket of white stones and just a few fish with glittering scales swimming about. A lush green forest stood all around the creek, its canopy letting only a few rays of moonlight touch the forest floor. Nature was making music with the soft whistles of wind and gentle roaring of the small waterfall that cascaded down large boulders at the mouth of the creek. A coyote howled in the distance, the sound echoing off of the trees.

She had never really taken the time to take in the scenery since she had ended up in her former kingdom’s enemy territory. As if she had the time when had to hide constantly…

Suddenly, Markus turned his head in Tandine’s direction, his face pale in the moonlight. The last year had not treated him well. Markus was only a few years older than Tandine, but he looked as if he’d been through a battle. His eyes were clouded over in defeat, the normally stormy color taken over by something less powerful. His face was battered with scars, cuts and dirt. Around his face hung his wheat colored hair in knotted sections, his beard weaved into interlocking braids. Even his clothes were showing signs of wear and tear.

She reached into the small pouch on her belt and fingered the parchment that she had acquired from the bartender. Closing her eyes, she took a breath and took a silent step forward. Unclipping her bow from her back, she nocked an arrow on the string and slowly raised the weapon, taking aim at his cerebellum. As she was about to take the shot, a loud howl sounded not too far from their location and Markus bolted. Her heart began to race at the noise.

No, not the wolves. It can’t be.

With no other choice, she sprinted after Markus, trying to be silent but not lose too much distance. He had never run from a fight, so he must have really been in trouble. As Markus tore through the foliage and jumped over roots in the damp ground, he was beginning to tire quickly. Tandine could see him starting to lose speed as he struggled to escape. The howl sounded again, but not as close as it had been. When Markus finally collapsed, Tandine closed in. She drew her dagger with a heavy heart and pointed it at him, his face full of shock as he looked up at her from the ground.

“What, do you think you’ve seen a ghost, Markus?” she asked.

He held up his hands in protest and searched her face. His eyes were glazed over but sparkled just a hint as he looked at her face.

“You’re alive,” he said.

She nodded. “Barely thanks to you. You left me to rot!”

“I…I only did what I could to save you, Tandine. After you were pronounced dead and brought to the pits, I had little time. I could only get you as far as the outskirts without being seen.”

“So, it was you that stood and let me hang!”

He looked down in shame. “I tied the knot wrong so that you would survive with a few tweaks. If I had cut you down, an army would have been sent after you and you’d be dead. Please, Tandine. It ripped me apart to see you hang, unsure if my plan would even work.”

She looked at him quizzically, searching his face for any trace of lies. But he was shaking, his eyes pleading with her.

She met his gaze and demanded, “Why didn’t you stay with me? I was alone, Markus. Hungry. Terrified. Unsure if I was even alive because the last thing that I remembered was Althiel screaming my name as I faded into blackness. How do you justify that?”

He looked down in shame and reached his hand out to touch her face. His touch was surprisingly warm and a wave of comfort washed over her. He stared into her eyes, trying to capture every one of her features.

“I am so sorry, Tandine. You must believe me that I did everything that I could to get you out safely. I did not leave you easily.”

Tandine began to speak, but was cut off abruptly by a sharp howl of wolf closing in on them. She looked into the distance and saw golden sets of eyes closing in on them from the hills. Markus looked at her in a panic and she froze. With a snap decision, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and sheathed her dagger. She looked back at the wolves creeping forward on the top of the hills and looked back down at Markus, who had readied his own daggers. But she knew that he was in no shape to fight.

“Go, Markus.”

“I won’t leave you again, Tandine.”

She unclipped her bow, nocked and arrow, and looked back at him again. “You don’t have a choice, Markus. Now, GO!” she said, her voice full of steel.

“I will find you. I’ll come back for you,” he promised as he stood up and placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her head to meet her forehead with his lips. He took one more look into her eyes and took off running.

The sound of howls filled the air as she pulled her bowstring back and faced the pack that came barreling down the hill.

“Come and get it, you mangy beasts,” she said as the first arrow flew.

Reviews

[Mayank]

somehow, it was clear that Tandine will survive. Well, I liked the description here almost picturesque. I just have suggestion, the little detailing when she was in the pit. Overall, good write.