Deirdra had never experienced a forest
feeling so foreign. It had trees, brush, and rocks like any other
forest, but it all seemed tilted somehow. She could recognize the
plants, and could even name a few useful qualities some had when she
wracked her brain. Despite that, everything was striving to catch the
tattered hem of her knee length skirt while at the same time trying
to avoid touching her at all.
It wasn't dark out. Deirdra could see
quite clearly, though she had to wonder if someone had placed a blue
pane of glass over the sun. Not that she could see the sun through
the canopy, or that even the most prominent of kings would be able to
afford such a pane of glass. She'd never even seen a window made of
the stuff.
The toes of her heavy boots hit water
and she nearly splashed right in if she had not grabbed hold of a
branch that both offered its assistance while trying to dodge her
desperate fingers.
“Where did this come from?” she
asked the still air, and realized her voice had a shiver in it. She
hadn't even heard the water flowing, but now it rolled over her ears
as easily as it rolled over all the dark rocks at the bottom. A thick
plunk caught her attention
and she watched in horror as the single gold piece she had swiped
from the house as she made her escape sunk. Even though she could see
straight through, she lost sight of the glittering gold.
It had gone out like a candle being snuffed out.
Deirdra sank to
her knees in the remarkably dry grass next to the bank, tucking her
hands between her thighs as her shoulders slumped. It had really been
stupid of her; to just run away. She had planned to go to the city,
try to survive there away from a place where everyone recognized
every face, every voice, even every gait. Now she was hungry, tired,
and her clothing and hair were in poor condition, decorated with
leaves and twigs.
The sound of
something gliding through the water made Deirdra pause in her self
reproachment and look up. A long, narrow boat came to a stop in front
of her. It was made of a gray wood that she couldn't recognize, and
she noticed that water around it was perfectly still, while the rest
of the river flowed on normally. Her attention was brought to the
figure standing in the boat, holding a long pole that was bound in
what looked like engraved silver. He wore a traveling cloak, with the
hood pulled low over his eyes. The only thing Deirdra knew for sure
was that he could do with a good day or two in sunlight.
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