Forsaken ~ Chapter Two

"We'll make camp here for a few days," Ring said, much to the relief of everyone. They had been walking for hours and the exhaustion level was high. It would not be long before the sun would rise and everyone was hungry and eager for sleep. "Bear, start setting up the tents. Rena, care for Alexi. Show Elizabeth how. Tobias, you will help Ruma and I gather firewood." His tone left no room for argument and despite not wanting to leave Elyssa alone with a group of strangers, Tonius knew better than to protest. They had only just started their journey with these people and it was vital that they make a good impression.

"I will not be far," he whispered close to her ear. "Just call for me should you need me."

"Be safe."

He pulled back, smiling at the familiar words. "Always am." He left her with Rena, who gave him a reassuring smile, and disappeared into the woods.

It didn't take long at all for his arms to become laden with branches and twigs to burn on the fire. Stomach growling and eyes heavy, he started to make his way back to camp when he heard a small twig snap nearby. He paused, his eyes straining in the darkness for any sign of what could have made the noise, every part of him suddenly on high alert. He waited in silence, not even daring to breath, but found nothing. Shrugging it off as his imagination, he kept walking. When he returned, he was not surprised to find that he was the last to arrive. Laying his load on the pile with everything else the others had brought, his eyes swept the clearing, desperate to see that she had been alright alone. His body became tense once again when he couldn't see her.

"Calm yourself friend," Bear, who happened to be walking by and had seen the reaction, said. "She is fetching oats for the horse from the wagon."

Tonius didn't relax until he saw her leaving the wagon, struggling under the weight of the sack she carried. He stepped forward to help her, but Ring beat him to it. He felt a flare when she flashed Ring a grateful smile. But it went away almost as soon as it arrived when she turned to face him and her smile grew.

She started to shorten the distance between them. "You're back!"

"I am."

"Oh Tonius! Everyone is so kind here! Rena and Ruma are so understanding and Bear is so funny! Even Ring is not as frightening as he seemed."

"I'm glad that you are fairing well."

"I am very happy here. And not one of them has mentioned or asked me about...you know."

"I imagine that they will soon. It is, after all, the only reason they even allowed us to come along. Be mindful Elyssa. We can’t use our real names while in camp. This could all be but a ruse, and should we have to leave suddenly, I don’t want them to be able to track us down."

"You always see the worst in people Tonius," she scolded lightly.

"With good reason."

She got closer to him and touched his face gently. "Please have a little faith and relax. You'll worry yourself sick."

"My dear," he said, tucking her cloak around her tightly, "the day I stop worrying about you will be the day I die."

"And I fear that day will come sooner than anticipated," she mentioned distractedly.

Instantly on guard, he pulled her to the edge of camp and away from any prying ears. "What is it? What have you seen?"

She shook her head, her eyes closed. "Nothing definite yet. Just glimpses."

"Of. What."

When she looked at him, her eyes were filled with terror. "Something horrible is going to happen. And no matter how hard we try to stop it, we can't."

∞∞∞∞

Laying on his bedroll, staring at the sky, Tonius pondered yet again what Elyssa's vision could have been. Shortly after she had told him what her glimpses had been of, Ring has come up to them and announced that supper was ready, his hard gaze on Elyssa making it seem like he knew exactly what they had been talking about. Even days later, he hasn’t had the chance to talk to her alone yet, for Ring seemed determined to keep them apart, giving him menial tasks around camp and further cementing his theory that Ring knew.

With a sigh, he sat up, feeling restless and on edge. Something about this group seemed to set him off. Like they were hiding something, even though he had no grounds to even think such a thing. He felt it inside him, stirring restlessly, wanting to get out. Getting to his feet, he hoped that a small walk around camp might calm him down enough to sleep. If these people were up to something, he would need to be well rested and alert. He couldn't afford for anyone to get the jump on him. Pulling his dagger from its sheath, he admired the twisted engravings running along the hilt, the curved silver blade reflecting the moonlight as he turned it this way and that. A gift from Elyssa during their fifth harvest, shortly after his nineteenth birthday. And his most prized possession. Nothing seemed out of place, but his instincts still screamed at him that something was wrong.
He walked the perimeter of the camp twice, the second time slower than the first, but still couldn’t find the reason for his uneasiness. He chalked it up to the fact that Elyssa and himself hadn’t traveled with other people in quite some time. Coming to a stop at his bedroll, which was place strategically at the mouth of Elyssa’s tent, he collapsed on it and willed sleep to come.
When he next woke, the sun was just beginning to peer over the tops of the trees and one person, Bear, was crouched over the smoldering embers of last night’s fire, trying to coax it back to life. Tonius approached him without a sound, but the other man was still unsurprised to find him standing there, holding out a log for the fire.

“Thank you friend.” Working together, they were able to rebuild the fire and both graciously placed their hands in front of it, soaking up the warmth. The morning was bleak and cold, a sure sign that the harvest was nearly over. “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer a tent? The frost is nearly here and it’s only going to get colder.”

“It is fine. I prefer to sleep outside.” A rustling from Elyssa’s tent caught his attention and his head snapped to it, ignoring Bear’s chuckles. There was a brief pause before she emerged, yawning wide and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. He watched as she took in his empty bedroll before her sleepy eyes sought him out. By the time she noticed him, he was already there, drawing her closer to the fire. “Come and get warm.”

“Tonius. Tobias,” she corrected at his soft glare, “you can’t sleep outside with as cold as it’s been getting. You’ll freeze to death.”

“There aren’t any more tents,” he said softly, holding her cold hands out to the growing flames.

Her fingertips brushed against his. “There’s room in mine. Right by the opening, since you like sleeping outside so much.”

“If it’s right by the opening, then why bother going inside at all?” he asked with a laugh.

She blew out her cheeks at him, her face scrunching up in irritation. “It’s still better than being outside when it starts to snow. You’ll at least be a little warmer and I won’t have to worry all night about you freezing to death.”

He laughed again. “If it worries you that much, fine. I’ll sleep in a tent.”

Her fingers curled over the tops of his hands, slightly warmed from the fire. “Good.”

He stared at her for a long time, oblivious to the others waking and joining them around the fire. It was only the growling of Elyssa’s stomach that had him shaking his head and pulling his hands from hers muttering, “Breakfast. Food.” and walking away.

He joined Ring on his morning hunt. His companion, being a man of few words, proved to be a very capable hunter, as good as he had once been. Tonius made sure to set up a few extra traps on their way back to camp, since they were staying for a few days. They returned with three rabbits and a squirrel. Not exactly a feast, but it would do. Many of the animals had started to turn in for the season. Fresh meat was about to become very hard to come by.
Sitting on a stump away from the fire, Tonius removed his dagger and started skinning the rabbit in his hand, keeping his ears attuned to the happenings of camp. He heard the soft shick shick shick as Ring sharpened his blade, the fury of pops and crackles from the fire as Bear used a log to spread the coals and get it ready for cooking. The laughter of the women as they shelled nuts and fed the horses. Elyssa’s happy laughter buzzed in his ears, blocking out everything else. She was a people person, the exact opposite of himself. She thrived in crowds, while he shied from them. But she was happy here, and that’s what mattered.

He brought the skinned rabbit to Bear, who cut it into strips and stuck them on sticks, placing
them close to the fire to cook. The smell wafted across camp and made his stomach rumbled. There was just something about the scent of fresh meat roasting on a spit that made his mouth water. Elyssa bounded up to him, offering a handful of nuts. He popped a couple into his mouth with a small smile, returning to his stump to skin another animal. It didn’t matter where they were or who they traveled with, the two of them were always able to slip into an easy routine. They looked after each other.

He had just started skinning the squirrel when Ruma came up and offered him a slice of roasted rabbit. He accepted it with a word of thanks, eyes scanning the camp to confirm that Elyssa had her own meal before tearing into his piece ravenously. It tasted better than it smelled.

∞∞∞∞

“Come at me.”

Elyssa shot him an unsure look. “I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“Won’t know if you don’t try.” He gave her a half smirk. “It’s okay if you’re scared.”
Her eyes narrowed, just like he knew they would. “I’m not scared,” she hissed, lunging at him. She was fast, but he was faster. He dodged her swing easily, blocking the second one. It hit solidly against his forearm. Had that fist landed on his mark, he would be in serious pain. He shoved her back lightly and she sprang back to her starting position, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet.

“Again.”

She came at him once more, aiming low this time. He had no trouble blocking the first hit, but at the last second, she changed the direction of the second one, going for his gut instead of his ribs. Her fist made impact, knocking the air out of him noisily. He landed on his hands and knees, one hand held protectively over his stomach.

“That,” he wheezed, “was clever.”

She beamed down at him, although it quickly faded to worry. “Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you too much, did I?”

He rocked back to that he was sitting on the dirt, still rubbing where she had punched him. “It’ll take a lot more than that to put me down. But good work. You’re getting better every day.”

“I have a good teacher,” she said, pulling him to his feet by his arm.

“I am a pretty outstanding mentor, aren’t I?” he said jokingly, laughing when she swatted his arm.

“Don’t go getting a swelled head on me now.”

“I think it’s a little late for that, don’t you?” She laughed at him and he joined her, more than a little aware of the others watching them. They had been traveling with this troupe for nearly two weeks now, but he still couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that something was wrong. He looked up and locked eyes with Bear, who waved them over.

“What is it?” Elyssa asked as they approached, taking the words right out of his mouth.

“We’ll be leaving soon. Heading North. There’s supposed to be work that way.”

“North,” Tonius said flatly. “We’re meant to be heading South, Southwest. Not North.”

“We go where the work is. We’re low on supplies. There’s a town not far from here. To the North.”

“We can’t go North,” he insisted.

Bear looked at them with sharp interest. “Why not?”

Tonius floundered for something to say without arising anymore suspicion, when Elyssa came to his rescue, spinning a quick tale flawlessly. “My parent’s village is to the North. They’re quite unhappy that I decided to run off with a stranger. They no doubt have every village in the area on the lookout for me. And I would rather not see Tobias swing for kidnapping just because I wanted a taste of freedom for once.”

Bear appraised them both carefully. “If you can find work for us somewhere other than the North, we will head that way,” he told her. “If not, then we will continue with our previous plan.”

“How am I meant to find you other work? We are at least a few days’ time from the nearest town.”
He stretched to his full height, towering over even Tonius, and it immediately raised his red flags, his hand snatching Elyssa’s, ready to move her out of the way. The movement was not lost on Bear, who watched it with interest. “You are a Seer, are you not?”

“I am,” she bristled slightly, although it was meek in the presence of the large man.

“Then you should have no problem,” he said, walking off to where his brother stood, whispering roughly while Ring listened.

Tonius turned to Elyssa the moment they were out of earshot. “We could leave. Going North would mean the death of both of us. Or worse.”

He was surprised when Elyssa shook her head. “Not yet. We always knew that this would be a possibility when traveling with other people. We prepared for this. We don’t have to leave just yet. There are other options.”

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair a couple of times. “Alright. Alright. We’ll do it your way first. But if that doesn’t work, we’re leaving. No excuses.”

“No excuses,” she agreed.

He nudged her in the direction of her—their—tent. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

Tonius was very vocal of his dislike of her using her gift, something that she tended to ignore often. He lifted the tent flap and waited for her to duck under it before entering himself. She sat cross-legged on her bedroll while he stood by the entrance, arms folded across his chest and his mouth set in a deep frown. Interlacing her fingers together, she placed them in her lap, closing her eyes and deepening her breaths. He watched carefully as she entered that trancelike state that he hated so much. Her eyes snapped open and she gazed through him, unseeing. The glassily look in her eyes made him uncomfortable, and he had to stifle the urge to fidget.
She was silent for a long time, each minute stretching out to an unbearable length. Her back remained stick straight, her expression unchanging. Then, all at once, there was a flash of pure, unadulterated terror across her face before it was gone and the life returned to her eyes. She looked at him in confusion, but he was already there, helping her stand.

“What the hell was that?” he sneered.

“I’m…I’m not sure,” her voice wavered at first, but grew stronger with each word. “I didn’t see anything. Just white. Miles and miles of white. Then suddenly, there was a single moment, for barely longer than a second, where everyone I loved was gone. Dead. Right before me. And then I came back.”

He leaned her against him, supporting her. “This is why I don’t like you doing this. Things happen.”

“There was something else,” she murmured against him, barely audible.

“What?”

“Bear…and the others. They work for him. They’re under his control.”

Cold washed over him, freezing him for a single moment before his instincts kicked in. “We’ll leave tonight. We can’t stay. We’ll go West. As far as we can. All the way to the ocean. We could find a ship there.”

Groping fingers brought his face down to hers, her eyes wide as they took him in. “Tonius, are you talking about leaving the realm?”

“What other choice do we have? The Spider has control of nearly everything here. We can’t run from his grasp forever, no matter how hard we try. Not as long as we remain where he has power.”

“What about the rebellion?”

“They’ve been trying to mount that stupid rebellion for several seasons now and nothing has come from it except the deaths of those involved, and of the innocent. We can’t hold out for something like that. It’s time to cut our loses.”

“You’re probably right. I just…where would we go?”

He held her closer, hand shifting through the tangled mess she liked to call hair. “Where ever we wanted.”

“Where ever we want,” she repeated, mulling it over. “Okay. Let’s do it. Let’s leave.”

“Tonight.”

“Tonight.”

∞∞∞∞

They went to bed early that night, both claiming exhaustion. Elyssa promised that she would have other work options for Bear come morning, when he inquired. He seemed satisfied enough with the answer and bade them both goodnight, turning his attention back to the fire. Inside the privacy of their tent, they packed their things, rolling the bed mats, stuffing dried meats and nuts that he had managed to swipe into the knapsack. Nightfall was still a few hours away, but they still sat in silent together, waiting for everyone to fall asleep so they could make their escape undiscovered. Her hand searched for his blindly and he grasped onto her scarred fingers, both giving and taking comfort.

It was two hours after the moon reached its full height that Ring finally went to bed, walking the entire perimeter of camp before entering his tent. The two of them waited in the dark for just a while longer, to ensure that no one was going to suddenly wake, before making their move. Tonius went first, poking his head out forcing his eyes to peer as far as they could into the shadows, while also listening hard to pick out the breathing of the others. They were all deep and sure, signs that everyone was well and truly asleep. Waving Elyssa out behind him, he took her hand and led her straight out of camp, not looking back.

The sun was well in the sky by the time they stopped walking for a quick break. Despite the coming frost, the air was thick and warm, sweat poured from their bodies and their tongues were parched. Tonius pulled out his waterflask and checked its contents. There was hardly enough for a single mouthful.

"Here," he said, passing it to Elyssa, "you can have the rest."

"But what about you?" she asked, taking the offered flask from him. "What will you drink?"

"I'm sure we'll come across a river soon."

Though she clearly did not share his optimism, her thirst seemed to win out as she downed the last of the water. "We better find that river of yours soon."

"We will, I promise."

They continued their trek through the woods, being mindful to stay away from the beaten paths. It was several more hours before they finally heard the familiar babble of water coursing over rocks. Sharing an excited look, they took off for the source of the sound, not caring about the ruckus they made as they crashed through the forest.

The river itself wasn't all that impressive, looking like it went no farther than Tonius' knees. But at this point, neither of them would've cared if it had been nothing more than a mere stream. It was water. Tonius splashed into the river, pausing for barely a second to remove his boots and overcoat. He was cooled instantly and he took large mouthfuls of the water, easing his dried throat. Elyssa was more hesitant to join him, taking the time to remove her cloak and hang it off of a tree branch. Her barefeet slipped on silt as she slowly made her way to him, shivering at the temperature.

"How can you be so unaffected? This water is freezing!"

He shrugged. "I can hardly feel it, to be honest. But how about this? You fill up the waterskins and I'll go find some wood for a fire. Sound good?"

"Just stay close," she said, nodding her agreement. So although he'd much rather remain in the water for a little while longer, he begrudgingly sloshed to the shore, fishing the waterskins from both his satchel and the knapsack, tossing them out to her.

"I won't be long," he called over his shoulder as he vanished back into the trees.

∞∞∞∞

They both tore into the cold, roasted rabbit, barely tasting it in their ravenous hunger. The small, crackling fire in front of them provided the only light in the dark night. They had decided to make camp right there on the riverbank and every sound the forest made had Tonius on high alert.

"Are you happy?" he asked suddenly.

"Happy?"

"With the decision we made. To leave the realm. To leave our home."
She was silent for a long time, staring pensively into the fire. "To be honest," she spoke quietly,

"I've thought of you as my home for a long time now. You're all I've ever really had."

He stared at her in shock, surprised at how her thoughts nearly mirrored his own. He opened his
mouth to tell her, when she went rigid and her eyes going glassy, food falling from her limp hands. It wasn’t often that she had a vision without her inducing them, but they did happen. And they were never good. He dropped the rests of his rabbit in the dirt, not caring that he stepped on it in his haste to get to her. She started trembling as he neared, fear etching itself onto her face. Whatever she was seeing was frightening her greatly. He reached out for her when she stopped moving all at once, making it seem as though she were made out of stone.

"Elyssa?"

At the sound of her name, she blinked slowly once, then twice. She relaxed and the color returned to her face as she uttered the words that made his blood run cold and his heart stop.

"Don’t let them die."