Below the Peak (Sola) by Juliet Lili (26)

Chapter Thirty-five

“Come with me” Nikolas murmured in the blackness of Nadine’s room.

“To where?” Nadine asked, running her fingers through his hair gently. Nikolas lifted his head from her lap, sitting on the bed and looked at her in the dim light.

“Away from here, we could live in another city or” he rambled.

Nadine gave a light nervous laugh. “Slow down, I don’t understand you when you talk like that” She placed a hand on his.

Nikolas stopped, running his fingers through his hair, his features turned grave. “My father has failed to defeat the Muri, they now have elves as allies. It would be anytime now before they let death upon us. We should run away before things get worse.”

Nadine blanched, fear slicking down her spine. She had heard the rumors about three elves visiting the castle, but she hadn’t known they were here to warn the king of abandoning his plan for war.

“What about your father, are you just going to leave him? She asked.

“I have done the best I could, approached him with a more reasonable plan that benefits both of our kingdoms and he ignored it,” He muttered bitterly, “I won’t stay and watch the chaos he has incited upon us…No, I won’t.”

“You’re the prince…this is your kingdom, you have responsibility to the people…” Nadine interjected hesitantly.

Nikolas scraped his tongue over his teeth, shoulders slumping. “There’s nothing more I can do.”

“Where exactly would we go?” Nadine asked coolly, keeping the dread from cropping into her voice.

“I…um...anywhere from here” his gaze narrowed. Nadine watched as he became confused, the lost expression on his features. “We will figure it out once we leave.”

“We can’t just uproot ourselves when you don’t even know where to head,” Nadine argued.

“You and I are enough to begin somewhere” Nikolas smiled slightly, his face falling when Nadine glanced away.

“Aren’t we?” he chuckled nervously, “Do you not want to be with me?”

“Nik…” Nadine began, her heart plummeting when he pulled off her completely and straightened his shoulders. Hurt danced in his eyes before his whole body going rigid and cold. Nadine sighed, lifting her eyes to his. “I don’t need to tell you, you’ve always known my feelings toward you.”

“I’m not so sure right now” Nikolas gritted.

Her breath caught in her lungs. “Don’t say that.”

“Then why do you not want to go with me” his eyes narrowed on her face.

“It isn’t that just simple to pack and leave,” Nadine muttered.

“Yes, it is, I have money to sustain us,”, Nikolas insisted.

“Until when, are we are going to be hoping from one motel to another, and what follows when the money runs out, where would it leave us huh?” Nadine asked, her own anger rising.

“I will find us a house quickly before it gets that way. Then I will farm or do trade” Nikolas argued.

Nadine rolled her eyes, frustrated. As if it were that easy as he stated.

“Huh, what’s that for?” the corner of his mouth dropped.

“Nikolas, you are a prince, you know nothing of hardship” she clipped. His eyes darkened, lips pressed tight, a muscle on his jaw ticking. He got from the bed and tilted his face into the shadows. In the moment of heated anger, she had struck him. He didn’t need this from her when others did a fair share of mocking and looking down him already. His father…mother…the General and other court members all thought him undeserving…Nadine blinked, not wanting to think of them. “I’m sorry” she apologized, her voice softening. “I didn’t mean it, Nikolas please” Standing, she reached for his hand, her fingers clutched his forearm. He just remained frozen. She let her hand fall to her side and whispered, “Forgive me.”

This is turning into a mess. Argh! Her hands balled into fists, the need to scream burning in her chest as anger and frustration made her head ache. “You have to understand, my home is here…everything is here, I cannot just decide and abruptly pack and leave” Nadine muttered in the thick silence. Didn’t he feel her fear too, she was frightened of the fate of her kingdom, she wanted to escape too, to escape this treacherous life she had been living so long, but she dreaded the same of going somewhere unknown, to start afresh was both thrilling and terrifying.

“Am I not enough?” Nikolas bit, turning around, his darkened eyes locked unto her, demanding an answer. The pulse on her neck beat widely. Nadine swallowed and cast her eyes down. His humorless laugh startled her as it pierced the air between them. He leaned closer, his height dominating and terrifying her. In the coldest low voice, he said to her face, “I should’ve known a whore would always be a slut, it doesn’t matter who comes to save her. Not even the devil can rescue her from the pit she loves.”

Smack! Nadine’s hand whipped across his face. Her chest rose heavily as rage boiled her blood. Her whole face flared with hurt, her heart bleeding from the insult.

Nikolas stared at her with his mouth open, shocked.

“You’ve hurt me” Nadine glared, wetness welling in her hazel eyes. “How could you?” she whispered.

Nikolas features fell, he took a step back. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Nadine gave him her nastiest smile. “Thank you for reminding me who I am. You have exhausted your time, it is time to leave.”

Nikolas lips parted as if he wanted to say something but closed after a second. He grabbed his coat from the arm chair beside the bed and stomped away without a backward glance at her. When she heard the slam of the entrance door of the house, Nadine collapsed on the bed, shoulders shaking as she cried.

Chapter Thirty-six

“The weather is beautiful” Izza commented as she joined her in the sitting room and sat across her. The room was pleasantly bright from the sunlight streaming through the windows.

“Yes, it is,” Nara observed, taking a sip of juice from the cup in her hand. It was the kind of weather that invited you to go outside. It was sunny but not very hot, just the right kind of temperature with little wind to tickle the hair on one’s skin and keep the stickiness of sweat at bay. Pleasant weather, perfect for riding. The thought slid into her mind. Four weeks had gone, and she had yet to do it. She blamed the unpredictable weather. There had been days that it seemed it was going to be sunny but then suddenly when it turned afternoon the clouds changed and rained, while other days it drizzled from morning to late afternoon. Just a few days ago it had seemed perfect to go for a ride when she had rushed inside to the armory and grab a sword for a minute only to be greeted with rain when she had stepped outside. One could imagine her frustration and boredom reaching another level. She couldn’t understand the season here; did it work differently from other lands? Because if it were the same as Murisa, it should be sunny and not downpouring. Her eyes got lost in the distance as she imagined how good it would feel to race across the tall green grass field, fresh air with the fading scent of smoke wafting down her nose and filling her lungs and the breeze on her face. Nara stood abruptly, slamming the cup on the table.

“Goodness!” Izza clutched her chest. “You scared me.”

“Sorry” Nara apologized. “I’m going for a ride.” And gave no care if it decided to pour. Rain or not, today was her day. She could already feel the excitement slipping in her bones.

Izza smiled and said in elvish. “That’s a brilliant idea.”

“I’ll get going” Nara spun and stalked toward the armory room. She was already dressed in proper clothes comfortable for riding, a white long sleeve tunic, trousers and boots: now all she needed was a weapon. When Nara reached the armory, she opened its door and paused to stare the array of killing and torturing devices neatly arranged; swords, both long and short, spears, bows and arrows, knives, ropes, hammer and axes to name a few. Teasing her bottom lip, she contemplated which one to pick and more specifically which weapon would be best to fight against rebel elf or an attack from any other unfamiliar creature she had never fought. Her dagger alone wouldn’t suffice, and she wasn’t going to undermine her safety even though she was great in hand to hand combat. One can never be too careful when in still new territory. Sucking on her bottom lip, she grabbed a bow quiver and a short sword. Before shutting the door, she drifted her gaze to the top shelf again and unto the jars with filled with some sort of red powder. Curiosity picked in her mind what the powder could be. Poison? Deciding she’d ask about it another time, she closed the armory and headed for the stables. Upon reaching the stables, she found a horse readied for her already by the stable elf whom she still hadn’t talked to nor found out his name. She mused if Izza had told him to be ready the horse when she had rushed into the armory.

“You’re generous,” Nara told the elf. The elf nodded and busied himself. On that note, she saddled and made her escape.

She started with a canter, controlling the horse with the harness on its face since she was still new to riding him. They moved down the hill, past the houses and into the direction Nara faintly recalled she and the prince with his mates had emerged from when arriving in town. Her memories are serving her best, she remembered the beautiful green plains and hills she had seen and ridden through. A shot of excitement rushed through her, causing her to grab the reins tightly to change the pace. Slowly as every house faded back and only fertile land emerged, the mighty beast started to gallop.

“Wow,” Nara adjusted herself and held more tightly as the horse raced harder. A spike of adrenaline mixed with fear had her heart pumping. The strength and power of the creature were incredible. The times she had ridden the odd horse, she hadn’t fully appreciated its uniqueness but now riding alone with little care in the world and just for pleasure, made her be in awe of it. Its gait smoother than any other horse she had ever ridden.

“Stop” she ordered, looking around and deciding they had gone too far from the town. However, the horse kept on going. “Halt!” she ordered again only to be ignored. Her heart started beating in a different rhythm other than excitement as she adjusted herself on the saddle and to the motion.

Only then when she yelled “Stop!” in elvish, the horse began to slow down until it stopped altogether. She exhaled and shook her head. Feeling calmer after a minute, she hopped down unto the ground.

Dreamy. A word she would use to describe the meadow if she were to be asked. Extensive with a tapestry of vivid, colorful flowers and grass. It induced a feeling of serenity and peace.

She gave a glance back at the steed, finding it lazily grazing. Trusting it won’t run away, she dropped the quiver bow down then took a sit beside it. She rested the short sword on her lap. The little flowers tickled her bare hands which had positioned on each side of her thighs. A soft breeze whispered, fluttering the field. Nara closed her eyes and laid back, hands folding to cradle her head. She willed her mind to be seduced by the tranquility until it became a blank slate with no thoughts. Time elapsed as she enjoyed the pleasant quietness.

Traitor.

Traitor.

Her eyelids fluttered open sharply.

Traitor,

Nara jerked to a sitting position. She twisted, and cast side long glances from left to right, searching for the culprit.

Traitor, the wind whispered.

Her eyes froze on the horse which had its head up, its gray slit eyes staring back at her. It held her gaze intently, accusingly. Her lips began to thin as she studied the being its strange eyes, markings on its blue skin. He was not Lucky.

Her conscience struck her, guilt souring her expression.              How could she feel the content of riding another? Enjoy the bliss when it had not been that long since he died? A horse that had kept her company on her lonely childhood days until she had matured into womanhood and still was on her side. He had never betrayed her until his last breath. A suffocating sensation creeped into her chest. She ached and hurt as the memories of his death flashed in her eyes.

Such a fragile mind, quick to forget the words whispered in her ears.