Back To Stratheom

The breeze brushed through my hair with gentle fingers. It caressed my face and body with its cold embrace, making me shiver. Goose bumps formed on my arms, making my skin tingle against the leather I had dawned on earlier this morning. We were finally free. No longer mingling with criminals, no more stuck behind the many walls of the city, we were free. Instead of the pounding laughter of loud and drunk people, the air was filled with the thunder of horse hooves frantically trying to put distance between us and the city of criminal.

The trees where giant blurs of dark and light greens as we raced through the tightly knit forest. Twigs and leaves laid snapped and torn apart under the heavy beats of our horses hooves. In our desperation to get back home, we neglected to actually hide our trail. All our hope was on them being so distracted they wouldn't know where to start looking. After all, they mistook one of their own as one of us. Once Laylia set them straight, I am sure they would be on our trail sooner or later.

But until then, I was going to savor the smell of the forest as we blasted through. All though my joy was cut short. The arrow wound on my leg throbbing like an angry burn. It was painful as the leather of my saddle rubbed up against the neat stitches that Tucks had made on my leg. For the first part of our journey, I had silently grit my teeth and dealth with it, but as we continued it only got worse. I had feared at one point that I had ripped open the wound and we had to stop. With careful inspection from Seria, we had confirmed that a few of the stitches had managed to come open.

We spent some time, ripping up my cloak and forming a makeshift bandage, and then headed back towards Stratheom once more. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to ride by myself anymore and it made traveling that much more difficult. Maxwell was unwell and he couldn't be trusted to ride by himself, so Nicklos had to tether my horse to his. Making the journey that much more difficult. Although I was upset with my wound for causing such a problem, I was kind of glad that I ended up riding with Nicklos.

He had wrapped one of his arms around me in a warm embrace. With every mile we put in between the City of Criminals and us, he began to relax more and more. By the time we had manadged to reach Stratheom, I was dozing in and out of sleep. His warmth and the swaying of the horse as it ran, lured me into a half dazed sleep. The bitter fall air no longer lingered upon my skin, and it made me more comfortable as we continued to ride in pin silence. I don't know it if was fatigue, the urgent desire to get home, or the anxiety of being followed that placed everyone on edge.

I felt guilty that they were facing all of this because of me, but it didn't change the fact that I was grateful they were there to stand beside me down this long road. Each and everyone one of them have been nothing but supportive of my every decision, and never once ran away despite how tough the situations became. They shown me that no matter what, we where capable of riding this horrifying storm together. I would have to hold a celebratory ball for them once I get back.

Thankfully, with me dozing in and out of sleep, the rest of the journey went by in a flash. Nicklos had checked on me every once in awhile, placing his cold piercing lips on my forehead. Every time my eyes would flutter open and meet his tired golden gaze with my own. The bags under his eyes had started to sag, sinking into his face like an aging corpse. His browns where furrowed in endless concern as I leaned against his every growing warm body. His black silky hair, was tusled with the wind that only seemed to grow more fercious the closer we got to Stratheom.

It howled loudly, almost drowning out my own thoughts as it tried to rip open Nicklos's cape that I had tucked tightly around the both of us. Thanks to my wound opening up, my cloak had been used to patch it up, and the rest discarded. So this was the only defense I had against the raging cold. But that left my exposed face to feel the brunt of the cool air, and it nipped at my skin angrilly. I was no virgin when it came to the fall weather here, but with an open wound and the lack of sleep I had been getting, it only made it worse. By the time we made it to Stratheom, I was a popsicle. Chattering nonstop as I buried my face into the warmth of his cloak. My face soon went from prickling cold, to a numbing warm sensation.

Upon our arrival into Stratheom, the camp was already descended into a small chaotic mess. The soldier we had stationed here, where bustling around like crazy. No woman and children could be found, the men that lived here where watching with intense gazes. The distrust that we had left behind, still seemed to simmer here. Like a pot of boiling water not quite reaching it's boiling point. The bubbles popped, but not quite in large numbers. We casually cantered into the middle of town where the rest of our men where stationed.

"Princess Alliah, you have returned at last. I was begining to worry about you." General Bregus shouted over the strained chatter of my men. I gave a tired sigh and a small smile in return to his eager manor.

"We ran into many complications along the way. I see that you have started preparing to leave already." I commented as a small group of soliders walked by. General Bregus nodded his head once.

"Aye, Marquise sent word that you would be returning today. He made it clear that there was no time to waste. Can I ask what this is about? Is the problem not solved?" He peppered me with questions.

"I can explain on the way, but right now we need to get moving before the assassins and other hardened criminals show up." I muttered under my breath. His lips pursed together, silently contemplating whether or not to push the subject.

"Where is Nathaniel and Jeremiah?" His voice grew suspicious as he turned his gaze towards the others. His gaze lingered for a long moment on Maxwell, who was slumped against Marquise like a dead corpse. I almost had completely forgotten that these guys where in the complete dark about Jeremiah and Nathaniel's betrayal. All I could do was stare silently at the wind blown grass, unable to answer him directly. General Bregus would be affected the most since he was the one who rescued the both of them.

"Please, General, we can explain on the way. We are pressed for time and need to be returning home. The sooner we leave, the better." Marquise patiently replied. I passed Marquise a silent head nod, expressing my gratitude. But the General was unhappy about being kept in the dark.

"Very well. I can only assume that the worst has happened given all of your dark expressions and wary eye glances. Give me a moment to gather my horse and we can be on our way." General Bregus huffed before stalking off. Nicklos squeezed me with his good arm, his silent way of trying to soothe my anxiety. I couldn't help but tiredly slump further against him, almost like I was completely melting to his form.

"We are almost there, just a little longer." He whispered into my ear. I could only silently nod, knowing that it wasn't going to be a grand welcome home.