The Quest

Chapter III

Chapter III

Suddenly Anamaia jerked to a stop, hanging half over the icy edge, Ellaime still clinging onto her hands desperately. For a second she laid there, her long copper hair whipping across her face and blowing in her eyes until it registered in her brain that they had stopped falling. What she could see of Ellaime’s eyes was wide with fear and shock; his feet dangling against the sheer cliff face. After the initial confusion has passed, Anamaia’s rational side kicked in.

“Can you find any footholds to climb back up at all?” she asked him calmly.

Ellaime glanced down at his feet and, swallowing his fear he steeled himself, searching for footholds by his knees to push himself up a bit. He found one at knee height, and wedging his right foot in it, he pushed up against it whilst Anamaia wriggled back. Once she had settled back with only her head overlooking the edge, Anamaia became aware of a pair of hands wrapped around her ankles.

 “Can you dig your grips into the ice?” came a low, birdlike voice from behind her, presumably whoever was holding her feet. Anamaia did so, kicking her feet in so that she wouldn’t slide off again. The mysterious stranger let go of her ankles and walked round, bending over and taking one of Ellaime’s hands, “Okay when I start to pull Ellaime up, you pull his other arm up okay?” he said, as he hauled Ellaime back up onto the ridge, without any apparent effort.

When Ellaime was safe, the stranger stood up and dusted down his cloak, his snow white hair ruffled by the wind. He struck an odd figure; he was short with a beaky nose and yellow eyes, dressed all in pure white apart from his cloak, which was a creamier white speckled with black with a fluffy lining around his neck.

Anamaia was burning with curiosity. “I don’t mean to be rude,” she said, the Duine’s inherent politeness forcing her to say that, lest he be offended, “but who are you, and how did you get here? Since I’m fairly sure we were alone…” she trailed off, as he smiled at her.

 “You were never alone Anamaia,” he said, grinning as if he had a story to tell which he was very excited for, “Gaea has had people watching over you, lest anything such as what just happened endangered her plans. She sent me to make sure you both survived the mountains, and I’m sure she’s glad she did.”

 “Wait Gaea- I don’t understand, how do you know my name?” she said perplexed.

 “Gaea has something very important she needs you for, and luckily - or unluckily, you’ll only know when you know what it is, she needs you alive.”

 “Do you – do you think you could tell me what she wants now? Because that really would save me a lot of trouble,” she said hopefully.

 “Sorry Anamaia, I know as much about it as the next person, the only one who knows everything is Gaea. But, I will tell you this,” he whispered, leaning in close, “whatever she wants will be hard. Gaea doesn’t just pick anyone, and she only noticeably intervenes when it’s serious, so although it is an honour, and as a Duine I know it will mean more to you than anyone else, it will bring a lot of responsibility and a lot of hardship. Probably, too much hardship!” he chuckled to himself, “And you will have help, but only as much as you need, and often that’s not nearly as much as you want; but remember that whatever happens, when you have fulfilled this, you will know yourself better than the Comairle could ever hope to, and you’ll be a better person because of it. Oh and also, never forget to watch out for cats, not to drink salt water and always remember that when someone looks left, they’re lying.” Having shared his wisdom, he walked off, back along the pass, until he disappeared.

 “Wait but-” Anamaia called out to his retreating back. When no answer came, Anamaia and Ellaime grabbed the reins of their respective horses and continued on, trudging through the snow again much like before, only now they were mulling over the mysterious man.