Isildilia.(Book 1 of the White Lily trilogy)

Chapter 16- Lord Yui and Amithae

(picture- Lord Yui) 

   "Come on then, wake up." Something kicked her boot. She opened her eyes. Valin was looming over her, casting a dark shadow in front of the light flashing through the leaves behind him. It was already the next morning. She must have had the conversation with herself the entire night. She thought it was strange; last time barely a few seconds passed, yet this time seemed hours.

"What time is it?" she asked wearily.

"About an hour after sunrise and we'd..."

"...best be moving on," Isildilia finished.

" Because if we are late..."

"...then Their Majesties will give you a scolding." Valin always started the day by saying that. He tilted his head to the side and stared at her.

"Are you mocking me?"

"You, Valin? Never," she said sweetly.

"How much longer until we are there?" moaned Dakelo, sluggishly pulling on his boots. Valin scratched his face.

"It depends on distractions. Without any distractions at all, no more than two or three full moons at best." She noticed that the whole time Valin was talking, he and Dakelo were giving her a strange look. A few moments later, when they were riding again, Dakelo waited until Valin was far ahead when he pulled up next to her.

"Isildilia? What happened to your hair?" She felt a chill crawl down her spine. She reached up and pulled her hair forwards. Just like in her field, the ends were white, glistening in the light.

"How could this happen?" she asked herself.

"When you were asleep earlier, it just happened. One minute it was brown, the next it was white. Did something happen?" Isildilia was itching to tell him. She looked ahead and could see Valin peering slightly over his shoulder as he ran, clearly listening in.

"Not now," she whispered. Dakelo didn't ask why. Isildilia couldn't help but fiddle with her hair, feeling very conscious of the change.

Now the danger had passed, Froyza , had returned to his joyful self. Running ahead of the whole group, he'd often come back and urge them on. He even asked them to race at one point which, surprisingly, Valin accepted- although they didn't get too far ahead, keeping them in their sights.

"I wonder where we are now. I'm completely lost," Dakelo admitted. "The Okina forest seems endless."

"This isn't the Okina forest," Valin shouted back, "this is the Dinlik forest."

"When did we cross over?"

"Humans can't tell, but there is a scent border," barked Froyza. Dakelo merely shrugged. He wasn't willing to argue.

They soon found themselves riding alongside a river. The water was frothy white as it churned through the network of rocks. She looked into it, but she couldn't see the bottom. Thinking about it, she hadn't had a decent bath in weeks. The thought made her cringe. She looked back up and saw that Valin had stopped moving. He was standing at the water's edge staring into its depths.

"What is it Valin? Is something wrong?" There was an odd smile on his face.

"How long are you going to hide there, Your Lordship?" They both looked down, but didn't see anything.

"Who are you..." Before Isildilia even had time to finish her sentence, the entire body of water erupted. Pina and Loik reared in terror, almost unseating them. Once it had stilled she saw that the water still flowed as normal, but it was suspended off the floor, resting a couple of feet above the ground. They could see right through it, even the small fish and creatures that were swimming along the current. The horses reared again, startled by the sight . Valin quickly ran up and soothed the both of them.