Amythest dreams

Chapter Thirteen:

Iredesa awoke to the smell of breakfast and laughter through the folds of the tent. Kallan was gone so she knew that he had to be out there with the rest of them. She listened, eager to learn something of him without having them restrict what they were going to say around her. They were talking care free. As Rennyn and Esper were laughing she heard Jara talking softly to Kallan a little closer to the tent. "How much does she know?"

''Only what I have told her. I fear that if I tell her any more than what I have that she may freak out and run off. She knows that we are to get married. And I had to tell her about Ember after she sent that power cell to us. I've told her about the kingdom and Puerr Terra as a whole. But that is it." Iredesa listened intently. There was more to her being taken than what he said. She had figured as much, but to hear it out loud only confirmed it and made her mad. She was no ones puppet. But she sat silently, hoping to learn something else that would lead to answers.

"Eventually she will need to be told. Akrisha has said that she is important. And she is never wrong. That must mean that she is vital to what is needed. That is even more so validated by the fact that she is able to throw you out on your metaphorical ass so easy. She is human. Of that I have no doubt. But she is special." Jara said.

"Yes. She is special." She heard Kallan say softly. " You shouldn't have slept with her yet." Jara said, disapproval evident in his voice. " Humans hold value over the person who takes their virtue. It wasn't wise to do take that from her until you were certain that it was what is meant to happen."

"She is going to be my wife Jara. I am aware of what Akrisha said. I am the one who sought her out when I kept dreaming of Iredesa. It was me she told that Iredesa would be the key to fixing it. But aside from that. I am going to marry her. No matter how anything else goes I signed a contract and am honor and duty bound to follow through with it." Jara remained silent. Either that or they had walked away because Iredesa heard nothing else.

Fix it? Fix what? Iredesa was confused and more than a little angry. She was a fool to have forgotten what he was. What he does. He had said it himself when they first met. The Fae will always omit things and use you and see exactly what they can get out of you. He hadn't necessarily lied to her. Yet he had most definitely omitted things. She didn't know why he had. It wasn't like she could have said no. Not with the threat of her father dying over a broken contract looming over her head. She had the feeling that whatever it was he was using her for had to be big. So big that he didn't want anyone to know about it. The border maybe? But no. How could she help with that? She had no ties to the Fae realm.

Unless. Marrying him created a tie to it. But she had no magic. So that couldn't be it. So what exactly did he want from her? And why did Jara seem as if he was standoffish of the idea of him sleeping with her? It was as if he expected Kallan to.. Would he throw her away after he got what he wanted? So many questions. So many thoughts ran through her head. She shook them away, deciding that she would learn more later. She just wouldn't let anyone know that she would be digging.

She slowly made her way out of the tent, pretending as if she had just awoken. She seen Kallan and the others sitting down around a small fire passing around thick slabs of dried meat and fresh eggs. There were also hunks of bread sitting on a platter lathered in honey and nuts. She ran her fingers through her hair, loosening the knots, and stretched as she walked towards them. Esper looked up excitedly, spinning around in rapid circles. "Good morning Iredesa! Come. Sit. Eat..We were just making fun of Rennyn and his inability to catch this mornings breakfast."

Rennyn grumbled something about iron pixies and rabbits before biting off a chunk of meat angrily. Jara sat, simply staring at her quietly. Kallan looked at her questioningly, clearly sensing the block she had up. She sat down, grabbing one of the sticky rolls and looked at Rennyn.." I thought Fae were master hunters. You couldn't even catch a rabbit?"

Both Kallan and Esper laughed as Rennyn scowled. Even Jara released a small smile. " As a human girl I wouldn't expect you to know anything about the delicate nature of hunting." Rennyn mumbled. Iredesa c****d an eyebrow, eager to accept the challenge thay Rennyn had clearly initiated. "Kallan?" He c****d his head.

" Can I see your bow?" He smiled as Rennyn looked at her like she had grown a second head. Kallan handed the bow over and Iredesa took a second to admire the craftsmanship. It was a gorgeous chestnut bow that was lighter than any bow she had ever felt before. It was also much smaller than traditional bows. But she found she preferred the fit in her hands better than the bows she had used with her father. She picked up the sheath of arrows and swung them over her shoulder as she turned to Kallan. " Am I ok to go alone or do I need one of you to go with me?"

Kallan looked to Jara who nodded and said that she should be safe to go alone but not venture too far. She turned and walked away towards the trees. As she entered the trees that outlined the small clearing she settled the turmoil that was in her mind and took a deep breath. Some of her fondest memories had been with her dad in the forest hunting. He had been very hesitant in the beginning. Always wanting her to be a proper lady and sew or throw tea parties. Yet he had caved to her pleadings when he realized that she was never going to live the life of a proper lady. It didn't take her long to love the feel of the polished wood in her hands and the snap of the string as she released the arrow. and found her mark.

She lightly walked through the trees, careful to not make a sound as she searched the ground for tracks. She spotted what looked to be squirrel and even fox tracks. She decided to not go for the fox in case it was a Reynard. Plus fox meat wasn't typically used for meals and she didn't want to kill unnecessarily. So she kept her eyed peeled for rabbit tracks. She spotted some about ten minutes later. She studied them closely to determine how fresh they were. It seemed to have passed through no more than ten minutes before her so she felt it would still be in the area. As she stepped forward she heard a flutter of wings and the rustle of branches over her head. Without thinking she let loose the arrow she had at the ready as she spun it over her head. The soft thump of a body hitting the ground had her both closing her eyes in trepidation and a small thrill of succeeding. She really hoped she hadn't killed anything Fae. That wouldn't go over too well.

She slowly opened her eyes and let out a sigh of relief when she seen the body of a nice plump bird at her feet. She picked it up and tied it around her waist, scanning the ground for the rabbit as she restrung the bow. About twenty minutes later she found the rabbit under the canopy of a cluster of giant mushrooms. It was nibbling on the soft flesh of the fungi in quiet contentment. Briefly she felt a sense of sorrow at the loss of such a peaceful existence. But soon she as stringing it to her waist as well and making her way back towards the camp in satisfaction.

She took her time, admiring the beauty of the woods around her. She could easily agree that what she had seen of Tiernim so far was far more breathtaking than her world. The colors were just more vibrant and otherworldly. It was almost as if her eyes had had a haze over them and entering Puerr Terra and Tiernim had lifted it and permitted her to see the world as it was always meant to be. A kaleidoscope of colors had been introduced to her that she could have never even imagined.

As she came back to the edge of the treeline she sheathed the arrow and let the bow hang loosely in her hand. Kallan said something to Rennyn who begrudgingly tossed a coin bag at Kallan. She said nothing as she walked up to them and dropped the animals at Rennyn's feet and handed the bow and arrows back to Kallan. "I'm impressed little raven. Not one but two kills." Kallan said as he picked them up and began preparing them to wrap up and put on the coals to slowly cook throughout the day.

" I told you that I wasn't raised like the other women in my home." Rennyn grumbled but congratulated her as he admired the size of the bird and rabbit that Kallan was skinning and de feathering. "I will say that the craftsmanship on the bow is extraordinary. My father would probably give his soul to learn how it was made. Bows like these in the human world would make a fortune."

" We don't share our secrets lightly on how we create the things we do. But I would be glad to show you one day how we create them." She nodded, not wanting to show her excitement. But secretly she was excited about it. Learning how to make a bow of such beauty and precision would be more than a little satisfying. It would be something for her to look forward to. But her main goal would be for her to figure out what exactly Kallan and Jara had been talking about earlier.

Kallan explained that they would be taking a break from their journey to relax for the day before starting again the next day. He wanted to take the day to let her get better acquainted with everyone so that she would be more comfortable with them as they travelled. It would also allow them the time to sit and discuss their tactic when it came to Ember. It turned out that the storm she had sent was not the only thing she had done in her fit of anger. Rennyn had explained to them that she had also demanded that her parents force a betrothed between Kallan and her. Of course his parents had turned down the negotiation which had only enraged Ember more. So Rennyn, Kallan, and Jara were going over steps to make sure that Iredesa would be safe.

Ember, Iredesa mused, would be someone that would not hesitate to get her out of the way no matter what. Iredesa never imagined she would be dealing with a jealous ex lover. Much less one that seemed to unsettle everyone around her. It was clear that Ember was not sane. Esper felt she was a spoiled princess that was use to getting everything she wanted. Kallan and Rennyn seemed to be under the mutual agreement that she was unhinged and more than a little unstable. Iredesa was certain either way that she didn't want to have to be around Ember at all if she could help it.