Enslaved

Chapter 14: Stream

The few things were actually plenty of things. Starting with the two of them riding to the west.

“These people need more herbs for healing. I need you two to ride west. There, you’ll find a meadow. Collect some medicinal herbs.” Michael wrote them down a list of countless unfamiliar plants, herbs and other things. 

Thane read the list, mind blanking. He’s never been a very good gatherer of things. In his years of living on the road, he relied heavily in potions and prepackaged medical supplies. If he didn’t have those, he mainly counted on prayers to save him.

“Lavender, sage, wormwood, balm...” He trailed off in utter confusion. “Coriander and henbane? What is this? Hemlock?”

Nera laughed at him as they left the rundown chapel. “Let me handle the herbs. You work on hunting. These people need to eat.” 

“Hunting.” He repeated. “I can do hunting.” 

They reach their horses and prepare their saddles. Nera twists around to face Thane. “I can’t believe it’s really him.” 

Thane brushed his black stallion comfortingly. The eerie town that smelled strongly of death made the horses nervous and anxious. “I’ve searched for Michael many times. Scoured villages. Who knew we’d find him here?” 

She gazed back at the chapel. “Still helping people in need.” 

 “Come over here.” Thane beaconed, holding a towel out.

Nera met him half way and watched as Thane wiped at the smears of blood on her face and arms. Like always, he was taking care of her. 

“Look at the state of you.” He teasingly poked at her nose. “You have too big of a heart, Nera. Don’t let it be your undoing.” 

She scrunched her nose up and stuck her tongue out. “You’re one to talk. I remember you passing up food just to keep me from going hungry.” 

He cupped her cheeks. “I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you. Besides, your life is more important than mine.”

Nera shoved him hard, eyes angry. “Do not say such things. Your life is just as precious as mine.”

“I have little to live for.” Thane answered stubbornly. He wanted to tell her that before she came in that cage, he had already given up on life as it is. He stopped himself from continuing though, not wanting to anger her even more. 

Nera took a step closer, pressing a warm palm to his strong chest, feeling the unmistakable beating of his heart beneath his tunic. She tilted her head upwards slightly, staring at Thane’s chiseled face. “Then live for me.” 

He swallowed, at a loss for words. Not the first time, Nera had managed to leave him breathless. 

She came closer until they were only a breath away. “Promise me?” 

Thane’s mouth dried, his heart beating erratically. “I promise.”

When Nera stepped back, he felt a little disappointed with the sudden distance but didn’t comment on it. 

He cleared his throat, going back to his horse. “Let’s go.”

Thane and Nera push their horses until they tire. It took them longer than expected to find the meadow Michael described. Nera’s thigh ached from the ride and her stomach lurched from going too fast without stopping. 

After several hours of riding, Thane decided to stop beside a small stream. “We’ll rest now and continue on the morrow.” 

Nera looked around the place they stopped and shivered. “I doubt I’ll be able to rest here.” 

“You feel it too?” Thane asked somberly. 

“Aye. It feels haunted. More so than Tosa.”  And that was saying something with Tosa and it’s mass grave that was bigger than the town itself.

Thane narrowed his eyes towards the tall trees surrounding them. “It’s the tribesmen.”

“The what?” Surprised, she follows the direction of Thane’s gaze towards the trees and the thick mist.

He blinked. Did she not hear him? “Tribesmen.” 

She scrunched up her face. “I heard you the first time.” 

He scratched the back of his head, now fully lost. “I’m confused. Did you not want to know?”

Nera sighed. “Men. You’re hopeless.”

Thane made a face which usually meant something bad was going to happen.

“Oh no. I know that face.” She pointed at him. “I’m not going to like this am I?”

Teasingly, he softly tugged at a lock of her red hair. Really it was his only way to touch her without breaking boundaries. “Not to worry. They’re only men who live in the woods.”

“They don’t sound so bad.” She mused, starting to unpack her things.

Thane grinned, watching her reaction closely. “They feast on human flesh.”

The blood drained from her face and she fumbled with her sack. “Ah, very bad then.” 

He burst out laughing. “You’re so gullible. They’re harmless. They’ll only smile while they stab you.” 

Now Nera was sure he was joking... well almost sure. “All right. Well, if you don’t mind, I’d like to stop smelling like horse manure and bathe.” 

Thane flushed, completely taken aback. In the past, Nera would usually wait until they were at a proper inn to bathe. Never while on the road. “Eh? Nera...”

“Thane,” She began. “It’s been weeks since we last had a bath. I’ve forgotten what my natural skin color looks like.”

Thane refrained from replying ‘tan’ lest he be called a creep. 

“Why don’t you join me?” She offered, starting to remove her heavy cloak and revealing tight leather garments. It was clothing no lady or princess should ever wear. 

If possible, Thane grew even more redder. “What did you just say?” 

“Join me?” She began to undo the laces on her boots. “It’s dark, the water is darker, we won’t see a thing.” 

“I’d rather not dishonor you.” He berated looking slightly scandalized by her proposal.

Nera kicked off her boots, removed each sock from her feet and pulled the hair tie from its ponytail. Red locks of hair fell down her back. “What’s there to dishonor? You’re seeing nothing.” When Thane didn’t respond, Nera’s face fell, her lower lip out. “Why are you looking at me like a wounded bear?” 

Because somewhere deep in his soul, he did want to join her but knew better than to do such a thing. He respected Nera more than anyone else. 

They stare at each other for a long moment. Nera’s eyes flashed, a dead giveaway of what she was about to do but before he could react, Nera leapt onto him, arms wide open. The force of her weight made him tether. He felt himself tip backward and before he knew it, she had shoved them both into the stream with their clothes still on.

Plunging into the stream, Thane felt the horrendously cold water breach his clothes and his boots. He shivered. The water was like ice to his skin. 

Nera was still in his arms laughing loudly at what she’s done. She let go of him and broke the surface of the water, her red hair flipping. As Thane followed her up, she splashed him continuously. Not allowing her to get away with this, he started splashing back, eliciting a happy shriek from her. 

With the moon the only source of light, they continued their onslaught of waterworks as the cold night breeze blew. It was freezing but they hardly noticed, not when they were having so much fun. Thane and Nera never had the opportunity to have fun or play with each other when they were younger. They were too busy trying to survive. The everyday routine was walk, sleep and if it was possible... they would eat. In a way, this was their way of making up that lost time.

It took them a couple of more minutes to tire and cease the splashes. 

Nera grinned proudly to herself. “I told you, you’d join me.”

He scoffed, removing his tunic and throwing it to the side. “I didn’t have a choice.”

Nera’s eyes lingered on his strong bare chest, seeing every muscle, every indention and the well defined lines. His chest was decorated with a large number of scars with varying degrees of width and length. She stuck her tongue out, looking away hurriedly. Distractedly, she scrubbed herself clean until her skin was pink. Nera combed her fingers through her hair, going through all the knots. She blanched at her dirty fingernails and began her attempt to clean them. 

Unbeknownst to the effect he had on Nera, Thane began to wash himself as well, cleaning off months worth of grime and dirt. Comforts like a bed to sleep on and a bath were very limited when traveling. He made the most out of it while he can. 

Although inconspicuous, Thane found his eyes repeatedly drifting towards Nera’s form. It was almost a subconscious act - uncontrollable, even. The moonlight shined down at her skin, her face and those gorgeous glacier blue eyes. He felt his insides warm. 

Not too far from them, their horses neighed and almost instantly they felt eyes on them. 

Spooked, Nera felt her bare skin pimple with goosebumps. She glanced towards Thane worriedly who was glaring at the woodlands. He reached his hand towards her and hoisted Nera up back to land. 

Without looking back, they rushed to their horses, still dripping wet from their bath and rode away. Uncharacteristically, they laugh at their silliness despite having been scared not two minutes ago. 

“You said tribesmen smile while they stab you?” Nera chortles, shivering at the cold wind.

He grins, riding horseback still bare chested. “I’m not too enthusiastic about proving myself right.”