Ghost of a Forgotten Past

Chapter 10- A Sad Departure

  

Phantom gently nudged her awake, the clouds had continued to roll over head and had now drowned out the pin point of winking silver in the sky. All others were silent and sound asleep they hadn't even set a night shift, this pleased her she quietly got up and shook out her cloak and locked the clasp in place, all the rest of her things were in Phantoms saddle bags. Taking a black arrow from her quiver she wound a strand of her hair around it and suspended it in the flames of the fire, the golden waves licking around the shaft but never burning it. She tip toed over it where Nathaniel was sleeping and knelt down, she leant over him and whispered in his ear very softly; "if only it was at a different time" she kissed him gently, so as not to wake him. A now sad twinge sparked with their contact, and then she was gone. As soon as she had mounted and they started out into the night the first flakes of feathery white snow floated from the sky, winter.... was here and she didn't look back.

Shivering he woke to find the world blanketed in white, as he breathed puffs of mist erupted from his mouth. He could smell wild flowers, his heart felt heavy though he knew not why and the sweet taste of honey linger on his lips. The fire was lifeless but an arrow slowly spun in mid-air its black shaft polished by the heat, and the single auburn hair hung from it with little delicate icicles attached to it, he fearfully looked over to the vacant undisturbed white patch where Lanora had lain before the snow, he bounced up and looked in every direction but the snow was clean of any tracks of dents the trees harbouring no dark shadows beneath. "No, NO!" he cried she was gone once again and this time they could not follow for she had disappeared before the snow had coated the landscape in its crunchy crystals. He had not dreamt the whisper or the soft touch of her lips on his, "what had she said" he mumbled to himself, he actually started to cry him the prince was crying for an elfling who kept running from him. The knights stirred to his cries and they looked solemnly at him "I told you she will not fall easy, and with the king after her it will make it much harder for her to surrender her heart to you" advised Felix, "yes your right but I think she is already fighting with herself I can smell her wild flowers and taste sweet honey on my lips" announced Nathaniel "oh no that's not good Nathaniel, if she fights her heart she will tear herself apart from the inside, I suggest you stop pursuing her until the conflict can be resolved" ordered Dain, hearing this from his knights made Nathaniel's heart ache for he had fallen head over heels for her and now he was being told he cannot try to win her. Seeing Nathaniel's utter misery, Felix came up to him and said "to truly be with her Nathaniel we must find a way to kill the king", "no, we must find Shadow because the prophecy said that a young warrior of elven decent will rise to glory and deal the final blow that will release the land of king Kane's evil grip" announced Nathaniel in a noble tone he had never used before, this tone made the knights bow down before him, their shiny metal armour clattering making a loud racket. And that's when they saw the two tyrants beneath one large black tree.

The snow immediately filled in her tracks, each hoof hole and foot mark was erased by the white blizzard which made it possible to get away without being spotted or followed. Lanora's heart ached and her tears blurred her vision, she had fallen in love with this prince but she knew she must fight a battle to the death so she cannot have him fall for her because neither the king nor the elfling can live in the same kingdom there just isn't room for such hate and rivalry not to mention the power hidden within both. At some point they will have to have their ultimate fight to the death and she must from now on treat her life as if she is the one that has to die and then there is the unknown demon to destroy. Though it pains her greatly she must try to forget her prince and move on to fore filling what she was born for. She took out her father's sapphire dagger, rubbed her finger on the blade twice, pricked her finger, dropped the single bubble of blood on the word Crisan and out from the hilt projected an image of her farther a noble, kingly man. With long auburn and golden hair, skin as white as ivory, gorgeous deep blue eyes and a kind, gentle expression showing the love for his last born daughter. She tapped the end of the hilt once and the image disintegrated. It was then that she noticed that there was a red spot on the sapphire, she tried rubbing it but it was still there, she tried gently scratching it but it didn't budge, she even tried a removal spell but the red spot remained untouched it was as if blood had been splattered on it and one of the drops was still there as if it had become embedded in the sapphire its self. This puzzled her deeply what if there was something wrong with her precious dagger, one of the only things that she had left of her father.