***
Chapter 12
"Na ahana, Taura. She'll be here." Ziliena reassured her. "She's fine."
"I'd like to think I would know if she weren't."
Hunter was licking the last traces of gravy from his plate, but the girls were both still picking at their isazas when Taura noticed Aerodar headed their way. She looked back toward the trees and spotted her sister. "Hunter, want to come with me?"
He got up, and started in Aria's direction. Ziliena said, "I'll save our table."
"We'll be right back."
Aria marched triumphantly out of the woods, with something black slung across her shoulders, and dragging something else behind. She was met by some of the boys hired by the tanners and butchers to help haul carcasses. They tagged each of her kills and loaded them on a horse drawn cart.
Taura and Hunter reached her as the boys drove the cart on to the next arrival. Are we still in?
"E'sareona, dog," she panted. "Let me catch my wind."
"Are you okay?" Taura asked.
"Yeah. I think," Aria looked around, wondering again about the strange presence she felt.
"I just, ahna, I don't know."
"What?"
"I thought I felt something ... something I knew, out there. Watching me. I don't know what though."
Taura looked at Hunter. "You didn't sneak out there to watch over her, did you?"
Hunter snorted and sat down with his back to her. Tell your sister I stayed right with her all-
"Alright, alright," Aria interrupted him. She scratched behind his ear. "I know." To Taura, she said, "I would have known it was Hunter, besides. We were able to communicate while I was out there though."
"Is that new?"
They started walking back to join Ziliena. "I think it's the furthest physical distance away we've been. But, back to this, whatever it was, I know I know it from somewhere. But I can't for the light of Iridius remember where I know it from."
The third, and final relay of horns sounded the end of the first round.
***
"Do you think it's one of the other competitors?"
"I can't think of another explanation."
"Someone here, from Iselos?"
"No, I don't think so. I would have sensed it sooner."
"Then, from where?"
Aria shook her head. "I need sleep. No more thinking right now."
"Okay. But we have to wait for the announcements before you can sleep."
"Is there food?"
"Yes, I'll get you some." Taura turned to go get Aria's breakfast.
Aria and Hunter went ahead to sit with Ziliena, who was sitting face down, resting her forehead on her arms. "Morning," Aria mumbled to her.
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| Credit: Sonja-Kalee on Pixabay |
Taura set a plate in front of Aria before she could respond. "She won't say for some reason."
"I don't know how I did yet. We don't know how the rest did."
"I counted at least thirty-two coming back empty handed in the first few hours." Ziliena said.
"And a few with one or two small animals," Taura added.
Aria finished swallowing the food in her mouth. "I got a fox, a squirrel, then a Koranath-"
"A Koranath?!" Taura and Ziliena exclaimed together.
Then, Taura said, "What was that doing out there? They don't live this far south."
Aria shrugged. "It dropped on my head from above, and started coiling, so I didn't exactly have the chance to ask if he was lost."
Ziliena giggled. Taura rolled her eyes, then said, "Go on. I know you got something bigger."
"Yeah, the boar was after me, like the Koranath. I was headed back before the first horn, after I got the second fox. The boar came out of nowhere and started driving me back the way I came. I had to climb a tree, then it took three arrows."
Ziliena was mumbling to herself and counting on her fingers. "Then you have ten, I think?"
"Hmmm." Aria thought a moment, holding her mug of cider close, breathing in the steam. "I don't remember seeing the koranath on the list. So, I really don't know...."
"Do you know how long until they announce the standings?" Taura asked Ziliena.
"Oh I don't suppose it will be too much longer. They want to get to sleep too."
"As long as I make it to tonight's round, I'm not too concerned with what place I'm in. Well, as long as I make it in, and score higher than Balthanor."
"Agreed," Ziliena said. "He's been in need of someone to shut him up for years now."
They didn't have to wait long for the announcement at all. "Attention hunters: as it turns out, there were quite a few contestants who came back empty handed this morning. All who turned in at least one skin will participate in tonight's event. We'll post your standings before tonight's gathering. Now, let's all go get some sleep!"
***
The torches burned all the way down the steps from the temple to the ground, where the course for the trials lay in wait for the new tributes. Twenty strong, young virgins stood at the base of the temple, waiting to prove their devotion to Malough. Their bodies were only clad in a thin, black sheet fastened in place by leather cording which was also used to lash strips of leather to the soles of their feet.
The rest of the Shadouins gathered along the edge of darkness beyond the torchlight. They were eager to witness the trials; it had been years since the last event was held.
The tributes trembled slightly with the chill in the air. Something other than the cold caressed their skin. Something else was among them.
Hushed voices and whispers ran throughout the crowd, growing slightly louder with each moment they passed waiting.
Dark clouds gathered overhead, cloaking them from the five orbs of light. The orbs were not to bear witness to the trials ahead.
***
Still working on it, but Chapter 13 will be up by Sunday next week. Until then, in spite of everything wrong in the world right now, I wish you a beautiful day, night or some time in the between....
~Roari
P.S. I also wish you a safe and happy Labor Day weekend - safe both in general and with regard to COVID-19. If you do need to get out, try to stay local, practice social distancing, and please, please wear a mask, as my family does to protect yours. We can only put this pandemic to rest if everyone does their part. 💙💚
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