Blood splattered, smoke rising from the pistol, and the Lady Grenda dead at the hands of Lord Philip; These are the images swirling in the head of Jane as she and the Iceborn Chieftain escaped through the woods.
Guns were blazing from every direction as they escape and Jane could not handle all of it. It was deafening. Why did he do that?!?! She wondered. Tears fell from her eyes as she wept for her Lady's demise.
"Come on, girl, I need you!" The Iceborn said, picking her up and placing her in his shoulders. She was a doll in comparison to the bulk Iceborn chief. "Where can we hide?!"
Jane clung to the Iceborn's broad shoulders, her mind reeling from the chaos around them. As he carried her swiftly through the dense undergrowth, she tried to steady her breathing. "If I may, Chief and my Lady, I don't think this will end in a good news." She remembered the Lord Philip saying before murdering Lady Grenda.
BANG! The sound tasted like the death.
"We need to find shelter, somewhere they won't think to look." The Iceborn's voice cut through the din of gunfire, his tone urgent yet oddly calm.
Jane remembered the Lady Grenda's teachings, of how she raised her as if she were her own daughter. "The Smiths are the miners of Vistarion." She remembered. "Once my Grandfather, Lord Gregor, sought to venture into the mining industry, just like the Smiths. They've built mineshaft at the foothills of the Mother Mountains. They are located right... here."
That's right! She thought.
"There's an old abandoned mine not far from here," she managed to reply, her voice trembling. "It's hidden among the cliffs, hardly anyone knows about it."
Without hesitation, the Iceborn Chief adjusted his course, pushing through the thick foliage with determination. The sound of pursuit echoed behind them, urging them onward
" 'An abandoned old business,' my Grandfather used to call it," Lady Grenda have told her. "But 'an abandoned old bitch' is what my Grandmother would call it. 'It wasted much of my husband's money!' she always said."
Jane could still remember Lady Grenda's laughter whenever she tells that story.
As they approached the rocky outcrop concealing the entrance to the mine, Jane's heart sank. A squad of soldiers had already reached the area, their torches illuminating the shadows. The cold winds whipped through the landscape, carrying with them an eerie chill that cut through to the bone.
The Iceborn halted, his brow furrowed in thought. "Thaganar take these fools!" he murmured, scanning the surroundings for an alternative route.
Jane's eyes raced, searching for any possible escape route. Then, she spotted it—a narrow crevice in the cliff face, barely wide enough for them to squeeze through.
"There!" she exclaimed, pointing to the crevice. "It's our only chance."
The Iceborn placed her down and they begun navigating the treacherous path. Jane moved easily, but the Iceborn's massive frame barely fit through the tight space. Jane guided him well, her heart pounding in her chest as they squeezed through the rocky passage.
On the other side, they found themselves in a hidden alcove, sheltered from view by the overhanging cliffs. The wind was howling through the night, and its breath was cold and grim. Gasping for breath, the Iceborn collapsed against the rocky wall, his body trembling with exhaustion and relief.
For a moment, they remained silent, listening to the distant sounds of pursuit fade into the night. The heavy gusts carried a sharp, penetrating chill, sending Jane shivering from the cold. When Jane looked at the Iceborn, she could recognize blood dripping from his right arm.
YOU ARE READING
Love Beneath The Moon
FantasyI've been fighting since the day that I was born. The Gods are loving, my people say, yet they've always been so cruel. They placed us in an endless battle for survival. I've defeated lots of foes. I've survived the freezing mountains and the ragin...
