Chapter 6: To The East (V.2)

An alternate leave-taking and then some...

 

‘No, no!’ Eyrie shouted, jumping in front of Andra again, raising her arm against Gryphon’s blow in case he didn’t stop in time. He did, but only barely. She barely grimaced, though, and set her attention to Andra’s footing. ‘Turn your bloody leg round! I already told you not to come charging straight a’ him like a blooded boar. Who d’you think you are, Thewin Elfslayer? The man had more brawn ’an brains, and the elves tha’ were killed by him should be ashamed for it!’

            Andra groaned at this consistent nag. Just because her feet wanted to do it, they did, and Andra was content to let them as long as she could keep trouncing Gryphon so soundly.

            Eyrie seemed to read her mind. ‘Not all of your enemies will be as skilled as your guardian, here.’ There was that barb again. Andra saw Gryphon scowl, and she smirked at him. The older woman caught the glances. ‘Funny?’

            It happened quicker than she could blink, but somehow Eyrie had disarmed Gryphon and held his sword pointed at Andra’s face while Gryphon held his wrist and gaped in shock. Suddenly, Andra’s smirk disappeared and she was very much terrified. Her sword was angled across her body to guard out of some survival reflex, but she doubted it would help much with Eyrie bent on doing anything with Gryphon’s sword.

            ‘Come here to me,’ the woman said with a wicked grin and a beckoning tilt of the sword.

Swallowing, Andra did, taking swift steps toward the tall woman and trying to knock her sword to the side. Before Andra could even touch Eyrie’s blade, the woman had stepped around Andra’s left side and knocked the girl in the shoulder with the pommel of her sword.

Andra whirled around to face Eyrie again, stepped swiftly straight on again, ready for the turn. Instead of going to the left again, Eyrie rounded Andra’s right and rewarded her with a harder blow.

‘Remember what I said, now, or the nex’ one will be on your head.’

Spinning around again, Andra scowled and blew a stray strand of her dark brown hair from her eyes. The strand flopped limply down again, and Andra tossed her head angrily. Frustrated. Andra ran forward, this time not aiming to knock Eyrie’s sword from her grasp but to touch Eyrie from the side. She watched Eyrie, keeping her own sword at her waist-level. Eyrie’s right foot shifted as if to sidestep around Andra’s left side again. Turning to her left, Andra swung her sword, no longer mindful of the edge of her blade, but she felt herself too late as the less than gentle thud came from her skull.

‘OW!’ she yelled, clutching the back of her head with her empty hand. Her eyes began to water, but she furiously blinked any semblance of tears away. ‘Solanis burn your eyes!’

‘Oh, he’s done enough to me already, ne’er you worry. Just do as I told you.’ Eyrie raised her sword then, and came at Andra, angling toward her right side, trying to step around. Putting her on the defensive. Andra sidestepped in response to the onslaught, crossing her right foot in front of her left as she circled round. ‘Don’t cross your feet or you’ll end on your arse,’ Eyrie snapped, leveling an arcing swipe at Andra’s midriff, forcing the girl to parry awkwardly and stumble over her boots.

Damn you! She cursed mentally, shifting her feet to get them both underneath her evenly, redistributing her weight on the balls of her toes. As Eyrie kept angling towards her right, Andra kept backing around, her sword crossing her body again. The warm hilt was growing slick in her grasp and her palms were sore. She could feel the sweat on her forehead trickle down her cheek, and then quiver there for a moment before sliding down to tickle and itch on her neck; and the more she thought about it, the more she noticed the other trickle down her lower back and on her other cheek and…Argh! She hated this!

Andra sidestepped again, careful not to cross her feet but slide them one after the other. Eyrie swung her sword again. Andra’s response was less awkward and her footing remained steady. The clang of the swords was reassuring, and Andra’s courage was bolstered. She felt like she was doing something right, finally. Now maybe if she stepped to her right side this time, instead of this circle Eyrie kept driving her in, she could block for the blow that would come and then…

She sidestepped to her right, left foot moving swiftly after right foot, and blocked the sideswipe that Eyrie sent toward at her right side by angling her sword downward, and spun round Eyrie’s left, stepping swiftly around. Eyrie was too fast; she was there waiting by the time Andra had turned. Eyrie’s next blow came harder, faster. It hurt more to block it, ringing in Andra’s wrists. The redhead had a wicked grin on her face now as Andra felt her own grimace deepen. But she could see a few beads of sweat on the woman’s brow. It was only slightly reassuring.

‘Faster,’ the woman said, her words no longer teasing but almost…constructive? But Andra didn’t think she could go much faster now. She was already tired and the sword wasn’t becoming any lighter. Her calves were burning from the strain of balancing and dancing her weight around. The next cut whistled in. Andra stepped backwards quickly, raising her sword. Now to her left, now to her right. Her parries were becoming closer and closer misses, Eyrie’s blows closer and closer to hits as she slowed. Eyrie wasn’t letting her in, though. Nowhere near. She was just too fast.

Another sharp slash and Andra was for sure it would be her last as she wobbled the sword feebly in front of Eyrie’s incoming blade, but she made it there, however shaky the sword was, and she waited for the arm-numbing crash. It didn’t come, though. As quickly as Eyrie had swung she reined her slice in, stopping it a finger’s width from Andra’s blade.

‘That was better. Much better.’

Andra’s breath was coming deeply, but labored. She didn’t know whether she should scowl at what might have been praise, or smile. Eyrie didn’t care. She turned around and handed Gryphon back his sword. Still gaping, he fumbled as he tried to sheath it. He would cut his hand if he wasn’t careful. It’s not like Andra had given him a show worth gaping at.

But, she had to remind herself, he had never seen Eyrie fight until now. Andra was even more amazed now, having been on the wrong side of the phenomenon. Woe to any poor sod with the bad luck to fight her in earnest. Andra had been terrified even knowing—hoping—Eyrie wouldn’t actually let the blade hit her.

A few more deep breaths, and then she sheathed her own sword. Her arm shook dangerously, but she managed. For the first time, she noticed the nice breeze. It ruffled her shirt, working its way between her sweating skin and the fine wool. Soleil, that feels good. She let the wind caress her as she stretched her neck to the sides, bent at her waist to stretch her legs. It would still hurt tomorrow. The wind moved from her neck, whipping her hair about her face before it went to try and bend the upper branches of the trees. Most of the trees were leafing; a few had small green buds, but enough gaps in the branches to let the sun through. Spring was here. Soon Solanis’s blessed gaze would bring around the summer.

Andra shuffled over to the bags and horses and found herself a spot before she collapsed on it, resting back on her elbows, her swordbelt lying next to her. This is how travelling had gone so far. Walk, spar. Walk, spar.

They had only stopped briefly in Lithe’s Bend. A quiet little town, not unlike West Village, with an inn and a number of households to its name. It had the benefit of a river, though, and so was a little more populated than West Village. Fishing was good, so that was the profession of many of the menfolk. There was hardly time to get to know any of them, but they seemed nice enough. What had been truly strange was seeing Eyrie with them, seeing Eyrie in her house. They seemed to know her but they also seemed…indifferent to her. Perhaps she really didn’t go home often. Maybe wandering was what she did. After a few days to gather supplies and get Eyrie a sturdy chestnut gelding from the innkeeper, the trio left again.

They travelled the road this time, not the woods. It had been another few uneventful days. The first one on the road, they had found a little out of the way spot off the road to camp and Eyrie had given Andra her first sword lesson. She didn’t care to remember much about that. Her knuckles were still bruised and they ached at the thought.

Tonight, they camped in a clearing in the woods. Why the change, Andra hadn’t asked. Eyrie was hardly what one would call forthcoming. In any case, the sparring match had left Andra too exhausted to worry. The ground was pleasantly cool underneath her, so she was content. She closed her eyes as Gryphon sat down next to her. She could hear Eyrie moving about.

‘That was good, Andra,’ Gryphon said softly. ‘Really. You’re getting better.’

‘Thanks,’ she muttered. She would have rolled her eyes if they were opened. Certainly, she wasn’t going to stab herself anymore, but that didn’t make her good. ‘You aren’t bad yourself.’

‘Only because my sword is so light. Eyrie says it’s just for one hand and made for a woman.’ Andra opened her eyes and grimaced at the stab in her heart. ‘A strong woman, though,’ Gryphon added, seeing Andra’s reaction.

It was so hard, remembering. Knowing that her mother was dead. It made her stomach hurt. She and Gryphon were both carrying her swords. Her own was heavier than his, meant to switch between one- and two-handed grips. Who it had been made for, Eyrie hadn’t said. Do’hera she might have been, but that was all the information about the Sun Sword she had seen fit to give Andra.

She shook her head and closed her eyes again. ‘It’s alright,’ she whispered. It’s alright, she told herself. It would have to be. You can’t change these things. But it was a strange feeling. No one close to her had ever died before. Occasionally, one of the older people from the village would die. That was natural, though. Occasionally, a child got a bad fever and never recovered, but those things happen. This…this was new. It was strange. She would never see her mother again. Solanis burn my eyes! She cursed mentally.

After Gryphon had finished making a pottage for their meal (he had taken a liking to doing the cooking), they sat around the fire. Eyrie was quiet, as usual. It irked Angara that the woman had said so little about their journey.

‘Where are we going?’ Andra asked peevishly.

‘East,’ Eyrie said calmly.

Lovely. ‘Where, east?’ Gryphon asked, preempting any argument from Andra.

The redhead looked calmly from one youth to the other, studying them each carefully.

‘East. ‘ She jabbed her thumb behind her, toward the eastern road.

This is not amusing.

 Rolling her eyes, Andra turned stood up from her spot at the fire and went to grab her bedroll from her saddlebags. Laying it out near the fire, she lay down and closed her eyes, listening to the fire crackle around them. It was warm, and the evening was cooling. As her sweat dried, she noticed the chill even more. But the fire was warm. And she was tired. With Gryphon and Eyrie quietly lost in their own thoughts, Andra drifted away. It was so warm.

 

Fire. She woke up to fire. Gryphon was yelling, Eyrie was yelling. Soon, she was yelling, too. Fire. Get the horses. She was warm. Too warm. Fire. Burning. It was hot. She was hot. This way, the brown haired woman yelled. This way. It was her mother. I’m coming, Andra cried. I’m here, don’t leave me. I’m coming. Your hand, said the woman with the slanted eyes. Brown. Midnight, where was he? So hot. There. To her right, she heard his whinny. He was at the edge of the clearing where they left him, tied. He strained at his line, rearing and screaming, eyes rolling. Calm, my boy. Calm, Andra soothed him. Untied. She mounted him and cast about for Eyrie and Gryphon. Where were they? Not here. No gray horse, no chestnut. She couldn’t hear them yelling. Fire. Too hot. Her mother was just here, now gone.

Andra? She wheeled Midnight around. The spooked horse, obedient. Andra. The voice came from the wood. Run. Run, Midnight. Her head bent over his neck, they sped into the wood, to the voice. The fire. The wind swooped the fire into shapes. Into people. A woman. A man. A castle. Palace. The wind howled, air bracing Andra and whipping her hair about her face. The ground was shaking. Trembling. Heaving. Midnight would break his leg. Slow. Slower. But he didn’t slow, he ran, he galloped. There was the river. Where was the voice? The voice. Andra. Fire behind her. Air above her. The earth beneath her. The water in front of her. Midnight didn’t stop. The earth pitched and threw them into the river. Wet. Cool. The fire. The fire. It’s gone. Water. Suffocating. Cold. Where is the fire? Andra.

Andra. Andra.

 

“Andra! Wake up!” A rough hand on her shoulder, shaking her. Voice sounded worried.

“I’m awake. What do you want?” she said gruffly, not turning around. Burrowing deeper into her bedroll.

“You were dreaming. Are you…alright?” Dreaming? It must be Gryphon. What was he doing here? Had he stayed the night?

She rolled over, cracked her eyes open. Not Gryphon. Red-haired woman. Her face was a stormcloud and Andra was afraid. The woman was covered in dark, sooty ash. She must have been playing in the fire pit. The pit in question was scattered, black chunks of wood littered over the campsite. Things must have gotten out of hand, though.  A live coal or two, maybe. There were scorch marks around in the grass.

“Andra. Look a’ me.” The woman grabbed Andra’s chin and forced her to look at her green eyes. So green. Almost pretty eyes. “Are. You. Alright.”

Eyrie. Do’hera. Guardian.  Oh, Solanis. Burn me, what happened?

“Fine. I’m awake, Eyrie. What—” Oh. Where was Gryphon? The soot. The fire?

“You happened. You were sleeping and—you exploded our fire, Andra.” Eyrie had a strange look in her eyes, and it contorted her face into something that seemed so foreign there. Fear. What was she afraid of—

“Me?” That didn’t make any sense. But…fire. And the river. Wind. The earth had shaken.

“You. You’re lucky the fire ha’ died. Only a few burning coals or we none of us would still be alive.”

A-alive? “Where is—”

“The boy took the horses and supplies. In case…” The woman’s eyes flicked back to the fire.

“In case? I…see. Eyrie, what’s wrong with me?”

“Solanis burn my arse if I know. You’re a mage, most like. But I ha’ ne’er heard of one sleeping and Casting a’ the same time.”

“Solanis burn me…I dreamed of fire. Is that…how…why?”

“I di’ tell you, I don’t know.” She sat back on her heels, now, reassured that Andra was safe enough for the moment. She wiped her face with her sleeve, but she only smeared the ash around some more.  Her lips were a thin line, and Andra noticed the creases at the corners of her eyes, enhanced by the dark dusting on them. Perhaps not as young as she seemed.

Andra swallowed.

“We’re for Solanis now. Mayhap…I knew someone there, once. They migh’ be able to help you, if they’re still there.”

Solanis. A large city. A very large city. Possibly the largest in all of Solterre. Andra could feel her heart pounding faster at the mention of such a sight, even as her mouth dried at the implications.

“To Solanis, then. Does Gryphon know?”

“No. I haven’ had a chance to speak with him.” Because she was too busy making sure I didn’t burn myself alive.

            “Ah. Of course.” Nodding to herself, she eased herself up from her sitting position, rolling onto her hands and knees and then slowly standing. She tried to stretch the stiffness from her muscles, her arms and back especially. They had stiffened by her restless sleep after her bout with Eyrie. Her bedroll had little scorch marks and there was a small hole burned all the way through, but Andra deemed it usable. After rolling it up, she reached for her sword.

            Eyrie, who had been watching Andra’s movements become slowly steadier, furrowed her brow.

            “Let me see your sword, child.” The older woman took the weapon and stared at the silver hilt. “That’s far too garish for the city. And someone might recognize it for what it is…where is that boy?” She whistled sharply. Sure enough, Gryphon was there shortly, the leads of the three horses in his hands.

            Eyrie went over to her chestnut, and after digging in her saddlebags for a moment, she came back with some leather bootlaces and proceeded to wrap them around the hilt until the blazing sun and every last bit of silver was covered.

            “There. You are less conspicuous by half an’ you even ha’ a better chance o’ holdin’ on to the bloody thing.”

“Thank you,” Andra murmured, avoiding Gryphon’s curious stare.

            “Alright, you two. Up!” Eyrie swung easily into her saddle. “Solanis is abou’ a half a week’s ride east of here. Up!”

            Andra obeyed after she had attached her things to Midnight’s saddle. As she mounted and whirled about to follow Eyrie, though, she noticed the woman hadn’t bothered to clear the remnants the night’s fire.

 

Author's Note

I'd like general input on this writing as..well, a piece of writing.

Reviews

[Chris]

The story is still going strong. I like the relationship between Andra and Eyrie; it's sometimes humurous to watch them interact with each other, especially when Andra was asking Eyrie where they were going.

"Knowing that her mother was dead."

I think this is a fragment.

"...bothered to clear the remnants the night's fire."

Think you need an of after remnants.